Finally, I enjoyed a dream.
After Lu Zhuqiao returned, Meng Yang walked up to her and greeted her, "Your Highness."
She was slightly surprised. "Uncle? What brings you here?"
"Having heard that Your Highness visited the Sui family head, I came to see for myself."
“Ah Xu is in seclusion healing her injuries, so I didn’t see her.” Lu Zhuqiao sat down and accepted his tea.
"I heard that the head of the Sui family tested her sword for a month and then fought against the Jade Sword Immortal. I didn't expect her to be so skilled in martial arts at such a young age. As far as I know, the Xin family sword technique is the unique sword technique of the Tianque Tower Master. I wonder how the head of the Sui family learned it? Didn't she spend eighteen years in the Taoist temple with the Imperial Preceptor?"
Lu Zhuqiao chuckled, "It's rumored that the Lord of Tianque Tower passed away, and the Drunken Sword Immortal brewed 'Drunken Spring Breeze' for him, costing a thousand gold coins per tael. Perhaps it was obtained by accident? If you ask me, this sword manual is also a scourge, harming quite a few people."
"Your Highness is right. The turmoil in the martial arts world has gotten involved and added a lot of trouble."
Hearing this, she rubbed her forehead, feeling deeply troubled. "Let's take it one step at a time. Right now, the most urgent task is to recover Chang'an and its lost territory. I understand what you mean, Uncle. It's too early to talk about these things now."
"It was a slip of the tongue, Your Highness. I beg for forgiveness."
Meng Yang bowed, and Lu Zhuqiao quickly helped him up, saying, "What's the matter? It's just a casual chat between us, there's no need for such formalities."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Lu Zhuqiao smiled without saying a word, while she herself was also considering Sui Zhixu's move.
"Keep the news under wraps. Jade Sword Immortal's sword is so powerful that it shakes the mountains and rivers. I heard my uncle talk about him when I was young. Although there is a three-month agreement, we still have to be careful."
Meng Yang agreed.
Fan Lingzhang received the news and praised Chaoyang for his meticulousness. Just then, he ran into Sui He holding A Yuan and comforting her. The group chatted casually.
Chaoyang's trusted female official repeatedly praised A Yuan for her good looks and auspicious birth, which prompted Fan Lingzhang to shower her with money.
On the other side, Chang'an
Gu Qingyi held the edge of the letter and read it word by word.
Seeing that she had been lost in thought for a long time, Chun Tao carefully reminded her, "My lady, it's time for an incense stick to burn."
Gu Qingyi's eyelashes trembled slightly, but she remained calm and composed as she placed the letter in her hand on the table.
"Is that all?"
Chun Tao shook her head, "Shan Hai Academy is heavily guarded. We can only find out this much by sneaking in while we're shopping."
"Seriously injured and recovering..." Gu Qingyi lowered her eyes, then asked her, "How is Sect Leader Yue?"
"Master Yang went to check and found that there were no serious injuries. He will recover after a period of rest."
"Go ask Sect Master Yue if he can watch the battle with me in half a month?"
Chun Tao agreed, and Gu Qingyi placed the letter on the candle flame. The flame spread to the paper and swallowed the words with unstoppable force. Her eyes reflected the flickering candlelight, making it impossible to see what was real in her eyes.
"Princess? Why are you standing outside?"
Sima An hesitated outside the door, startled by Chun Tao's voice. Pointing to himself, he said, "I... Teacher's light is still on. I came to see Teacher."
"Please, Your Highness."
Sima An braced himself and went inside.
"Good morning, teacher."
She glanced down and then up at Gu Qingyi, seeing her leaning on the table to put on her temples.
"Does the teacher have a headache?"
Gu Qingyi looked up at her and said, "I heard that you had another fight with your mother. You could hear her smashing porcelain and gold and silver items outside the palace."
"I..." Sima An looked up and took a breath, meeting Gu Qingyi's eyes, and then suddenly stopped breathing.
"I just want to ask my sister... about her, about her? No one in the palace dares to speak of it, and Mother is even more subservient to Father..."
So you came here?
Seeing her nod, Gu Qingyi slowly stood up and chuckled softly.
"Didn't your father tell you that Lu Kou is of the Lu royal family bloodline? She is the daughter of His Majesty and Consort Zhou who died young. We were never on the same path from the beginning."
Sima An muttered to herself, vaguely hearing someone shout "Impossible!" Gu Qingyi walked up to her and grabbed her shoulders, "I poured all my knowledge into you and her, without holding anything back, why did you and her..."
Gu Qingyi's vision went black, and she almost fell on Sima An.
"Master! I'll send someone to summon the imperial physician."
"Need not."
Gu Qingyi pulled Sima An back, "I know my own body. Anniang, now you just need to listen to your teacher, okay?"
"But I don't understand..."
"You don't need to understand!"
Sima An froze, her eyelashes trembling. She looked at that face, those eyes, and the almost hysterical roar made her feel like a stranger.
"Teacher...?"
Gu Qingyi looked up at the sky, calming her turbulent emotions. "It's night, you should go back."
Sima An had never seen Gu Qingyi like this before, and she dared not linger any longer.
How could the teacher have this side to her? In the past, she would always get angry and argue with them without thinking.
"I'm leaving now. I'll look for Aunt Chuntao."
Sima An lifted her skirt and left the room. Gu Qingyi ignored her and surveyed the study. It was quiet, elegant, and simply furnished.
Her gaze swept over the bamboo slips and scrolls on the shelf, her vision blurred. She carried on her father's legacy and supported the Yu family. Decades had passed in a daze. Who could have imagined that the orphaned girl who was slaughtered by the Manchus could come to this place?
The mountains and passes are difficult to cross; who will mourn the lost traveler? We meet by chance, all strangers in a foreign land.
When Chuntao returned, she quickly helped Gu Qingyi, who was sitting on the ground, up.
"My lady, why are you sitting on the ground? It's winter now, the ground is cold."
Gu Qingyi's words were devoid of any emotion. "What did he say?"
"Sect Leader Yue accepted the invitation and is very happy to accompany the lady to see it."
"Um."
"Why would you do this, my lady?"
"It's just a matter of having doubts."
Half a month later
"What I want is for her to be suspicious."
Sui Zhixu said this to Yao Shaozhi.
Yao Shaozhi smiled and asked her, "With the right timing, location, and people, what else are you lacking?"
"We may lack both, or we may have both."
Sui Zhixu took out a scroll and said, "I have a scroll here that you might be interested in."
He took the scroll and unrolled it. "You want to organize a sword tournament?"
"An organizational form, name to be determined. As the saying goes, without rules, there can be no order. The martial world always needs someone to manage it, otherwise how many Xin families will there be in the future? People say that the martial world is full of chivalrous people who will draw their swords to help those in need. But where is the martial world that people talk about now? Tianque Tower and Immortal Lodge, but you can see our hopes from the names, but the scope is too small."
"So you want to join hands with me to create a sword society and maintain peace in the martial world?"
"It's not just you; you're the one in charge, but there are others who are being considered."
Yao Shaozhi smiled and pointed at her, "Xinyi is a simpleton, how did she raise you?"
"She's honest and straightforward, but not very good at math. There has to be someone who can do math."
"The idea is good, but how will you implement it?"
"With you here, there's no problem. Besides, when things are at their worst, one must adapt; adaptation leads to success. Don't you know about the right timing, the right place, and the right people?"
Yao Shaozhi gently fanned himself with his folding fan and chuckled, "You can have both."
Seeing his actions, Xu thought of Xiao Furong, who still pursued elegance even in winter.
"I toast you, a thousand pieces of gold for the Drunken Spring Breeze." Sui Zhixu took out a pot of wine from his sleeve and placed it on the table.
"A thousand taels of gold is indeed a good deal. It seems the sword tournament is a success. I should also become a carefree immortal, otherwise what if they all throw money at me? It's just a pipe dream."
"Only in, no out?"
"Sigh, I'm terrified of being poor. When I was young, I dreamed of offering the best dowry in the world to my beloved, but I missed my chance."
“I have no right to answer your question on her behalf. My master does not like to talk about her past, including her sister.”
She would only glance at her and Thirteen Sister with a nostalgic look for a moment, before continuing her life of debauchery.
"We'll drink the wine when we get back. Drinking it at the victory celebration banquet is more in line with the spirit of the Drunken Sword Immortal."
Knowing that Xu's body contained the internal energy transmitted from the moon, this battle needed to be won quickly.
Before leaving, she glanced at the pair of broken swords she had carefully placed. Yue Wuxin had passed on the Xin family's swordsmanship to an unbelievable degree, which had brought disaster upon him, and he would surely lose his life here.
Outside Chang'an City, the large banners with geometric patterns of the two armies on the main battlefield of Wanshou Township fluttered fiercely in the wind, and the powerful characters "Qi" and "Yu" were clearly visible.
As the war drums sounded, Xu and Yao Shaozhi split up and circled around from a distance, catching glimpses of the two sides clashing in the corner of their eyes.
On the city tower, Yue Wuxin stood behind Gu Qingyi.
Her eyes shone with clarity and wisdom as she slowly spoke, "Sect Master, who do you think will win this battle?"
The lady was wearing a dark purple wide-sleeved gui robe, with an additional cape-style collared short-sleeved gui robe in contrasting colors.
"I'm not very good at it, so I can't really comment."
“My father said you were humble. Before he died, he told me that I could seek your help if I had no other choice. You two were very close friends.”
Gu Qingyi left it at that, reminding Yue Wuxin of many past events. He drew out his words, as if reminiscing.
"Bo Yuan was upright, noble, and charitable. Born into a prestigious family, he lived in seclusion in the mountains, using all his wealth to help innocent people. He also saved me, searching far and wide for renowned doctors and precious medicinal herbs for me. He even provided me with lodging and planned for my survival. He was concerned about the country and its people, and planned for the well-being of all, but he died young. His entire family was executed, and you were the only one left as a reward..."
Gu Qingyi hadn't heard the name Boyuan for a very long time, so long that it felt like she would never hear it again in her entire life.
Gu Songshang, courtesy name Boyuan, was the head of the Gu family in Suzhou. He lived in seclusion in Yizhou, Shu (Sichuan), where he married and had children.
She also had happy times in her childhood.
"Yes, as a reward."
Gu Qingyi clenched her fists. Her entire family had been slaughtered, yet she still had to bow down to the new emperor and thank him for his great favor.
Yue Wuxin suddenly turned around, her robes billowing in the wind with a loud bang.
"Ah Ling!"
"You actually came?" Yue Wuxin looked wary, gripping her sword and scanning her face. "Just one person?"
"you guess?"
As Xu withdrew his sword, Yao Shaozhi swung his sword from behind. The sword energy was fierce. Yue Wuxin tried to dodge, but her shoulder was cut by the sword energy, and blood gushed out.
"I was afraid you wouldn't come out."
The soldiers surrounded Sui Zhixu, but she leaped out, and several spears thrust at her. She lightly touched the tips of the spears, using the momentum to flip herself onto the roof of the city wall pavilion behind her.
Gu Qingyi: "Are you alright?"
"Someone actually transferred their internal energy to you." He rubbed his shoulder, glanced at Yao Shaozhi beside him, and seemed quite certain that it wasn't him.
Both spoke in unison.
"You led so many people to test me before, but now no one has enough internal energy for you. You are indeed more experienced than me in swordsmanship, and your sword moves are mature enough. You are too arrogant to think you can kill me directly."
Sui Zhixu and Yao Shaozhi exchanged glances and stabbed at him together. Yue Wuxin raised his sword and stabbed at Sui Zhixu.
A glint flashed in her eyes, and she deflected his sword, striking him with full force.
"Your internal energy is quite abundant."
Yao Shaozhi then stepped forward, but Yue Wuxin shook off Sui Zhixu and turned to face Yao Shaozhi. During the fight, Yue Wuxin found an opportunity to leap off the city wall.
"Chase!"
As soon as Yao Shaozhi spoke, she disregarded Gu Qingyi and rushed ahead to catch up.
"My wife."
Seeing that Gu Qingyi's expression was unfriendly, Chuntao spoke slowly.
"What are you standing there for? Fire the arrows!"
The three moved with incredible speed. The soldier struggled to aim his bow, but Gu Qingyi snatched the bow from him and shot an arrow.
"My lady!" Chun Tao snatched the bow from her and shook her head, "My lady, you mustn't!"
"My wife's heart meridian is damaged; she must not do these things."
As Xu and the other two figures receded into the distance, Gu Qingyi turned around with a cold laugh. Chun Tao returned the bow to the soldier and hurriedly caught up with Gu Qingyi.
"He's truly my good disciple, taking advantage of my suspicious nature to deal with me."
She would definitely go to watch Lu Zhuqiao fight. If she believed the news that Sui Zhixu was seriously injured, she would not invite Yue Wuxin.
Gu Qingyi said sternly, "Send someone to Chu Ye to kill Lu Zhuqiao, or he won't need to come back!"
Chun Tao was terrified. "Yes."
The three walked into the woods, and when Xu saw the opportunity, he shouted, "Fire the arrows!"
A row of men fired an arrow in unison and hurriedly retreated.
Yue Wuxin's heart skipped a beat, realizing something was wrong. The arrow was covered in powder, and Yue Wuxin had inhaled some of it before she could react.
He stopped and turned to face the two men. "I didn't expect you to have deliberately led me here."
Sui Zhixu scoffed, "You'll definitely choose me; you're picking on the weak. Besides, what you've ever done is aboveboard?"
"Upright and honest? Good people don't live long. Gu Boyuan is a good man, too good. He didn't leave himself any way out at all." Yue Wuxin's movements gradually slowed down. He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his eyes like an eagle's, still vigilant.
Yao Shaozhi had only one thing on his mind, so he asked him, "Were you the one spreading the rumors about 'Dead Tree Rejuvenating' and the Xin Family Sword Technique behind the scenes?"
"So what? Heroes emerge in chaotic times. Without my support, how could Xin Yi have grasped the essence of the common people?"
"Nonsense! What kind of ruthless path do you cultivate? It's clearly the path of the devil. Even the Deceptive Sword Immortal, who has been guarding Man City in the Western Regions for many years, has never committed so many killings as you have!" Yao Shaozhi raised his sword and swung it.
The unique sword technique of Donghai Quanyu Hall, the wind rises and the sound resonates.
"Heroes emerge in times of chaos?" Sui Zhixu pondered this phrase. He had deliberately introduced the system by taking advantage of the situation. Could there be a deal between him and the system?
"Senior, sever his meridians! Spare his life. I have questions for him; he must not die!"
As Xu spoke up, he learned that Yao Shaozhi had fought with him, and the surrounding forest was filled with the powerful aura of swords, a sign of the wrath of a sword immortal.
Yao Shaozhi was defeated by Xin Yi many years ago. After years of seclusion, he broke through his bottleneck and came out of seclusion intending to find Xin Yi for another battle. He was 70% confident of winning and 90% confident of a draw.
No problem! He has the face to confess his feelings to the person he loves.
He was an orphan, wandering the martial world all alone. With a little money, he opened a tavern to serve travelers. It was there that he met the second daughter of the Xin Family Sword Manor for the first time.
"What kind of wine would you like, my lady?"
"I have the fastest knife in the world, so naturally I need the strongest liquor in the world!"
"I'm sorry I don't have the strongest liquor here. Where did you come from, my lady? You're so young, yet you claim to have the fastest knife in the world."
"My mother is Qi Rufeng. Although I am not now, I will definitely be faster than my mother's knife in two years!"
"Then come back to me in two years when you become the best swordsman in the world, and I will definitely brew the strongest liquor in the world for you."
"Such a strong tone?"
"Isn't my wife the same?"
He felt he had fallen in love at first sight. In just one glance, on the day of the Awakening of Insects that year, as all things revived, his heart began to beat with renewed vigor.
Given his status, position, and wealth, how could he possibly propose marriage to her?
He went east and joined the Donghai Quanyu Hall, becoming the oldest among the new generation of disciples. He studied diligently day and night, and also read ancient books in an attempt to brew the strongest wine in the world. However, two years later, he still hadn't brewed the wine, but instead received news of the destruction of the Xin Family Sword Manor.
On their second meeting, she had already avenged her great grudge and become the master of Tianque Tower, renowned throughout the world. She came to find him again for a drink.
"It's strong; it's definitely the strongest liquor I've ever drunk."
He didn't want her money, and every year he sent people to deliver wine to Tianque Tower, but the two never met.
On their third meeting, he used the Dao of Emotion to enter his state of mind, and was called the Drunken Sword Immortal. He challenged her to a battle and was defeated.
Before he went into seclusion, he sent someone to deliver a lot of wine, enough for her to drink for several years. He didn't even know if she had finished it.
Ultimately, their fate was too shallow.
His eyes gleamed red, his sword pointed at Yue Wuxin's neck, and he stepped on his heart.
"Senior, please don't act impulsively!"
As Yao Shaozhi swung his sword, he noticed Xu Xin being lifted up. She took two steps forward, and he swiftly severed the meridians in her hand.
"He's still alive, don't worry."
Sui Zhixu looked down at the disheveled Yue Wuxin. They had met twice, but had been entangled for a long time.
"He cared for the world and sacrificed himself for the sake of all living beings. He saved you, but you have harmed many more people. Is the path you cultivate truly the path of ruthlessness? Heaven's justice is clear. How can you maintain your composure under such circumstances?"
Yue Wuxin did not answer; she did not want him to answer.
"You are arrogant and self-satisfied, entrusting your life to fate and letting things come and go as they may... You are arrogant and self-satisfied, and Xinyi ultimately died because of you, as did countless innocent people in the world. It would have been better if he hadn't saved you in the first place."
Yue Wuxin scoffed and closed her eyes to rest.
Liu Lü rushed out from the woods and walked to her side, whispering the news.
She frowned and turned to say, "Senior, bring him to Yueling. There's something amiss on the battlefield."
"good."
Sui Zhixu followed Liu Lü away, asking, "What happened to Chaoyang?"
“King Wei is determined to kill the princess and has already attacked from Wanshou Township to the foot of the mountain.”
Just a few days ago, Chaoyang had recaptured Wanshou Township, but in no time, it was all white.
"We've already reached the foot of the mountain?" Sui Zhixu quickened his pace and finally leaped through the air in the woods.
"Your Highness!"
Lu Zhuqiao was struck in the right shoulder by him, and the sword in his hand fell to the ground.
"Cough cough..."
Meng Yang stepped forward and pushed Lu Zhuqiao aside, but was himself hit squarely in the chest by Chu Ye's spear.
Chu Ye impatiently pulled out his spear, not caring at all as the gushing blood splattered on his face. He watched coldly as the person in front of him slowly fell to the ground.
"Something that gets in the way."
"The rising sun!"
Chu Ye stopped when he heard the voice, and after recognizing Sui Zhixu, he said in a cold tone, "I remember you."
The person who hurt Qingyi.
Xu Chong and Lu Zhuqiao rushed to her side and blocked her way.
"It is kind of you, a busy man like King Wei, to remember me."
Chu Ye sneered, "If it weren't for you, Qingyi, how could your heart meridian be damaged? Take this shot!"
She raised her sword to block, and shouted to Lu Zhuqiao behind her, "You go first. If you really can't hold them off, leave Shanhai Academy immediately. I'll be there soon."
"Okay." Chaoyang didn't hesitate. She just took one last look at Mengyang, who was lying on the ground with his eyes still open, gritted her teeth, and staggered forward.
"Is her heart meridian damaged?" Her voice was barely perceptiblely hoarse, and the end of her sentence trembled slightly.
"If you hadn't hurt her, things wouldn't have come to this. Enough with the nonsense, today I will take your life!"
His gunplay was ruthless, each shot deadly. He knew that Xu's heart was willing but her strength was insufficient; her inner strength at such a young age was like the remaining water left on the shore of a vast ocean, barely enough.
Given his fighting style, she shouldn't linger in the battle.
"Liu Lü, help!"
Liu Lü slashed the soldier's throat with her sword and turned her head, while Sui Zhixu's twin swords held off Chu Ye's heavy spear.
Liu Lu attacked from behind, forcing Chu Ye to turn around. Sui Zhixu seized the opportunity to escape, giving her a wink.
The two quickly left, and the army withdrew together. Inside the academy, Ni Zuilan urged them to leave via the back mountain path, while she stayed behind. The academy disciples vowed to live and die with their headmaster.
After saying "Take care" to Sui Hedao, Yao Shaozhi directed the Sui family to leave. He casually tossed Yue Wuxin's body onto the road and escorted the others away.
Following Xu and Liu Lü's frantic run, they finally reunited with the others at the branch of the Wei River in the back mountain valley.
After some discussion, the group decided to retreat south to Jincheng.
Lu Zhuqiao: "You still have children, so go ahead with your families. I'll cover the rear."
"But……"
"I am not a princess, I am a general."
Having said that, Sui Zhixu had no choice but to agree. She scanned the crowd but couldn't find Yueling. Yao Shaozhi told her that Yueling had no intention of staying at Shanhai Academy.
What else did she say?
She said she was still Master Ni's teacher, that the matter was settled, and that they would meet again later.
It is known that Xu Xiangyue already knows everything. Since she wants to stay at the Mountain and Sea Academy, she must have her reasons. Yueling is the national teacher of the country, and her status is no different from that of Yue Wuxin. She is highly praised by the people of Chang'an. Sima Xian must not kill her.
Gu Qingyi values scholars and would not harm Ni Zuilan and other academy disciples; she would likely adopt a conciliatory policy.
She took Fan Lingzhang's hand. He was holding A Yuan, whose eyes were darting around, in his arms. When A Yuan saw her, she opened her arms and babbled, wanting her to hold her.
"Ah Yuan, be good and go to sleep." Fan Lingzhang hugged her and coaxed her, looking up to meet her eyes.
"I have to take you all with me and run."
"It's alright. A-Yuan rarely cries during the day. We just need to hurry on our way during the day."
Fan Lingzhang looked helplessly at A Yuan, whose eyes remained open. A Yuan reached out and grabbed his collar, and he had no choice but to tear off the jade pendant from his waist and give it to her to play with.
"I will protect you."
Jincheng is located about ten miles south of Wanshou Township in Chang'an. Fortunately, the journey was smooth, and the group arrived safely in the evening.
In early November of the 29th year of Jianwu, the Battle of Wanshouxiang, which had been a protracted conflict between the states of Qi and Yu, came to an end, and the Qi army retreated to Jincheng.
On the fifteenth day of the first month of the thirtieth year of Jianwu, Emperor Yu, Sima Xian, lit lamps, and the people of Chang'an launched a riot to assassinate him. Emperor Yu was accidentally shot by an arrow and fell into a coma. The morale of the Yu army was thrown into chaos, and the faction of Princess Sima Heng and the faction of Princess Sima An, led by Gu Qingyi, jointly seized control of the government.
On the sixteenth day of the first month, General Wang of Luoyang led his troops eastward to Qingzhou.
On the ninth day of the second month, the Qi army recaptured Qingzhou.
In the same month, Princess Chaoyang of Qi, together with the Yue army, sent troops to Huazhou, a key transportation hub in eastern Chang'an. Princess Sima Heng sent troops to meet the enemy but was defeated. After recapturing Huazhou, the Qi army turned to Tongguan.
Princess Sima Heng of the Yu Kingdom dismissed Ping Huang, the garrison commander under King Chu Ye of Wei, and appointed Guan Lu, her own man, to take over. She repeatedly urged him to go into battle, forcing him to leave the pass to meet the enemy.
In May, the entire army of the Yu Kingdom was annihilated, and Tongguan Pass fell.
When the news reached Chang'an, the imperial court was thrown into chaos.
Gu Qingyi threw the battle report at her, "Sima Heng! Have you gone mad?"
"How dare you address the Princess by her given name!"
"How dare a mere eunuch shout at her!" Chu Ye shouted sharply, about to draw his sword, but was stopped by Gu Qingyi.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor has granted you permission to carry a sword to court, so do not be too presumptuous.”
Feeling guilty about the defeat, Sima Heng softened his tone slightly, "This was my oversight. If you and the Emperor hadn't been so lenient with her, how could we have ended up in this situation? Your introduction of martial arts figures didn't cause any problems."
Gu Qingyi felt she had gone mad. "If it weren't for me introducing people to the martial world, when would we have been able to conquer the Mountain and Sea Academy and break the deadlock?"
No one in the court dared to intervene. Gu Qingyi's eyes were dark and unfathomable. Yunhuai was still unconscious. Sima Heng initially guarded her under the pretext of caring for her, keeping her outside the door.
"I am His Majesty's lady-in-waiting. The Princess has no right to order me to adjourn the court!"
Gu Qingyi turned and left, with Chu Ye following behind her. She rushed all the way to Sima Xian's palace. The guards at the door tried to stop her, but she turned around, drew Chu Ye's sword, and pointed it at everyone.
"Get out of my way!"
Hearing the commotion, Kaiyang came out and saw her holding a sword. He asked in surprise, "Madam Gu? What brings you here?"
"How is Yunhuai?"
Kaiyang bowed his head and said, "His Majesty has not yet awakened."
"I sent Yang Su here a few days ago, but he was stopped." She glanced at the guards outside the house and sneered, "The Empress is so concerned, does the Princess really think she can stop a husband and wife from seeing each other?"
"Eunuch Kaiyang, why aren't you going to invite him!"
"yes."
Gu Qingyi walked behind the screen, where Sima Xian lay peacefully on the dragon bed with his eyes closed.
With defeat looming, how can she turn the tide?
"Gu Qingyi! I am not your servant, to be at your beck and call."
Yang and his daughter rushed over, and he pointed at Gu Qingyi, breathless.
"Look at him!"
Patients come first, so Yang Suxian didn't argue with her. He handed the medicine box to Yang Xu, took her pulse, frowned, and touched the back of her head.
“There is bruising from the head injury. I can select key acupoints to open the mind and awaken consciousness, but there are risks. I suggest conservative treatment and observation for a few days.”
"good."
"Qingyi, let me hold the sword." Chu Ye took the sword from her hand.
Gu Qingyi told them to stay there and then left.
"It's May, Chu Ye."
"I will protect you." Chu Ye hugged her from behind and rested his chin on her head.
"Send Chu Yong away, the farther the better, and never let him come back."
"Alright, I'll send someone to take him away, to hide his identity. How about sending him to Yizhou?"
Gu Qingyi closed her eyes. "Okay, you can arrange it."
To preserve the last bloodline of the Gu family.
Under the same clear sky, pomegranate blossoms flourish in Chang'an, while in Tongguan, after the rain, wheat fields along the Yellow River turn golden, and distant mountains appear like dark eyebrows.
The eaves of the pavilion soar into the clouds. As Xu ascended the pavilion, he gazed at the Yellow River. The surging river flowed endlessly, its unstoppable force creating climaxes in the air, a testament to its ceaseless vitality.
Sima Heng's thoughts are easy to guess; with a little provocation, he can be easily alienated.
With just a word from the lady-in-waiting at the Chang'an Gold and Silver Shop, the Sima family could be considered to have the potential to unify the world.
Tongguan was a strategically vital location, and occupying it would be tantamount to isolating Chang'an, making it an easy victory.
A traveler, encountering the rain that has cleared, rests his horse at the ferry tower. The mountains rise majestically over the Three Auxiliary Regions, the pass guarding the nine provinces. The river flows from Shaanxi, meandering around Huayin. At dusk, climbing to this vantage point, a thousand miles of wind and smoke evoke sorrow.
She longed to go home, to return to that place in her dreams. Having traversed the wilderness alone, seen countless mountains and rivers, her heart still found peace in the warmth of her family and friends under one roof.
As Xu stretched out her hand, the wind slipped through her fingers, and the moment she clenched her fist, it was as if she had caught a wisp of wind.
A pair of hands appeared around her waist and held her firmly, rubbing his chin against her shoulder.
She paused for a moment, then naturally leaned against him.
"Ah Yuan is too energetic. I left her with my mother-in-law. If we don't leave soon, she'll drag all my belongings away."
She laughed, "You spoil her. She's got a sharp eye now. She'll ask for anything made of jade, and she'll complain if it's not even a little bit."
"She snatched my jasmine jade pendant and won't give it back to me."
“Those are all old, let’s make another pair.”
He nuzzled her face, pinching her cheeks repeatedly, saying, "Let's wait until this is over."
"It's all over... Good, once it's all over."
She slowly closed her eyes and leaned against Fan Lingzhang's chest, already imagining their next meeting.
In July of the 30th year of Jianwu, Emperor Yu, Sima Xian, awoke and placed Princess Sima Heng under house arrest in her residence, while bestowing honors upon the Yang family father and daughter.
On September 28th of the 30th year of Jianwu, after four months of reorganization and preparation, the Qi army, led by Princess Chaoyang Lu Zhuqiao and General Wang Mian, joined forces with the Yue army, totaling 200,000 troops, to launch a joint attack on Chang'an from Tongguan.
On October 13th, the Qi army arrived east of Chang'an and lined up on the banks of the Feng River. King Wei led 150,000 Yu troops into battle, and the two sides fought fiercely.
As Xu Jian raised and lowered his sword, countless drops of blood splattered on her body and face, dripping down the sword and seeping into the earth.
The Yue cavalry launched a surprise attack from the flank and rear, joining forces with the Qi army to attack the Yu army from both sides, inflicting heavy losses on the Yu army.
A bloody gash appeared on Chu Ye's face at some point. He continued to fight, his spear, its red tassel dripping with blood, drifting across the Feng River and piercing the throats of soldiers.
The river water was faintly stained with blood, and the banks were littered with corpses, with severed limbs and remains floating on the surface. The air was thick with the stench of blood.
As Xu gradually began to fight with him, Chu Ye, with a death wish, fought recklessly with every move, a madman who could not escape unscathed even for her.
Both of them were exhausted and hoarse. Finally, she slit her throat with a sword, and Chu Ye's spear pierced her shoulder blade. It was only a few inches away from her heart.
He knelt on the ground, letting out a hoarse roar, and looked in the direction of Chang'an, the image of Gu Qingyi appearing in his mind.
"Qingyi..."
He's dying, what will she do? Who will protect her?
Countless soldiers behind him shouted his name, their mournful cries echoing through the sky.
"General!"
In the military camp, everyone called him the Grand General. The original official position of King Chu Ye of Wei was the First Rank General of the Cavalry, the highest rank of military officer in Qi, and the head of the military officers.
With the general dead, morale plummeted. The remaining Yu soldiers retreated en masse, and the Qi army swept through the enemy lines, advancing all the way to Chang'an.
Blood was everywhere on the steps of the imperial city. The red walls and green tiles of the palace were covered with a dark red color. There was chaos and wailing everywhere. Sui Zhixu ordered that the palace staff should not be tortured or killed. He drew his sword and walked step by step into the depths of the imperial palace.
Soldiers surrounded her not far ahead, and a fleeting glimpse of a face through the gaps made her heart leap.
"Stop! Don't hurt her!"
She took two steps at a time, and familiar faces gradually appeared before her eyes. Chun Tao stood in front of Gu Qingyi, ready to die for her cause.
"Following the head of the family."
"Step back, all of you step back, I'll handle this." Sui Zhixu glanced at the pile of corpses of palace maids and eunuchs in front of Chun Tao and Gu Qingyi, their eyes filled with terror and determination, clearly having died protecting Gu Qingyi.
The soldiers looked at each other, then saluted and withdrew.
Gu Qingyi's hair was disheveled, the ends of her hair ornaments were caught on her hair, and her clothes were wrinkled and rumpled, making her look utterly miserable.
She just felt that Gu Qingyi would be here. She took a step forward, and Chun Tao opened her arms to protect Gu Qingyi.
He pleaded with her, "Madam, please spare her for the sake of your years of teaching. Madam's heart meridian is damaged, and she doesn't have many years left to live. Please let me take her away. We promise to stay far away from Chang'an and never appear before you again. Even if I beg you, all the blame is mine."
“I didn’t want to kill her…” Sui Zhixu looked into Gu Qingyi’s eyes, as if trying to see into her heart. Her eyes were so desolate and so full of vicissitudes. She wanted to reach out and touch them, but Chun Tao blocked her way. They were too far away.
It's too far.
How did things get to this point between us?
"It's fate..." Gu Qingyi turned her head away, but finally looked her in the eye.
Why are the Crown Prince and A-Ling the bloodline of the late Emperor?
"Why?"
After saying that, Gu Qingyi laughed instead, "But you are exactly that kind of person."
This is a side hall of the East Palace. The grapevines on the trellis in the courtyard are thick and winding. In late autumn, only withered branches and leaves and a few bunches of dried dark purple raisins remain on the trellis.
"Teacher... let's go. I'll take you away from here. I'll arrange everything, and no one will know."
Blood ties, like vines, give rise to their initial attachment and love.
Behind her were vines that strangled her heart, tightening and tightening until it was broken, leaving love and hate entangled in her heart.
"Wrong... and too late."
"It's all my fault! I took advantage of your feelings for me, I took advantage of your heart, so resent me." Sui Zhixu put down his sword and walked towards her. "I'll take you to Medicine King Valley to heal your wounds, okay? Auntie... A-Ling will take you away, okay?"
Tears streamed down her face, each drop falling onto the withered grape leaves, mingling with the blood of the palace servants. Blood and water mingled, and so did her heart.
"Shall we spend the winter together? Let's not stay in winter, let's not..."
Gu Qingyi gently shook her head. She looked up and saw that the deep purple raisins were wrinkled and crumpled. What had this year's harvest yielded?
The grapes that Lu Yuan planted with his own hands bore fruit in the first year, their juice sweet and delicious. The second year, however, they yielded only bunches of bitterness and resentment. Now, thirty-two years later, this year's harvest is resentment—her resentment.
The resentment, dark purple and deep, was too profound for the winter snow to bury or cleanse, just like her heart, forever sunk in the abyss.
Suddenly, a silver flash appeared in her sleeve, and she drew her sword and committed suicide.
"My wife!"
"Ma'am!"
Chun Tao caught Gu Qingyi as she fell, and with a swift and decisive strike, blood gushed out.
"You didn't...you were right, I was wrong..."
"Stop talking, stop talking! Gu Qingyi, I told you to stop talking!"
Su Zhixu burst into tears, covering Gu Qingyi's neck in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but to no avail; the blood soaked through her hands.
“No…Ah Ling, you are the child I am most proud of in this life. I have failed to uphold my own…heart, and I am ashamed of my father’s teachings. I am willing to die…without regret.”
Gu Qingyi grabbed Chun Tao's hand, "Keep...her..."
"I know, I know, I will protect Aunt Chuntao."
Gu Qingyi managed a weak smile, her gaze fixed on Sui Zhixu's face. She seemed to want to reach out and wipe away her tears, but her hand hovered in mid-air, stopping abruptly before it could touch Sui Zhixu's eyes.
"Ma'am? Ma'am?"
Sui Zhixu hugged Gu Qingyi's body and cried out, one cry after another, until it all turned into a mournful wail of blood.
Each sound that falls into the air, into the wind, onto the withered grapevines, will never reach the ears of the person she wants to hear.
"...The thunder rumbles and the rain falls heavily, the monkeys howl and the gibbons cry in the night. The wind rustles and the trees rustle, I think of my beloved, and am filled with sorrow."
It sounded like the wind was blowing in my ears, and her voice was mixed in with it—the sound of her lecturing from when I was a student a long time ago.
The mountain spirit waits in vain for its lover, the young master waits in vain for the king's favor, and all things in the mountains—thunder waits for rain, monkeys echo each other, the wind has the company of leaves—but humans do not…
The young master is only filled with troubles.
Mountain spirit, mountain spirit... because it has not been formally appointed as a deity by the Heavenly Emperor, it is called a mountain spirit.
She was a relic of the old dynasty, full of talent but no one appreciated it. She held no official position, and no one in Chang'an responded to her.
There used to be one, but she killed him with her own hands.
She did conceive later, but she preferred to be entangled in love and hate, and ultimately died with words of no regrets.
The dark purple raisins hanging high on the shelf were blown down by the wind and landed in her arms.
As Xu Zhixu cried until her voice was hoarse and her vision blurred with tears, she picked up the fallen raisins, held them in her hands, and quietly began to recite "The Mountain Spirit."
"If there is someone on the mountain slope, draped in ivy and adorned with maidenhair fern. Her gaze is both alluring and her smile captivating; you admire me for my graceful figure. Riding a red leopard, followed by a civet cat, in a magnolia chariot, adorned with cassia branches..."
"The reason why a gentleman doesn't come to meet me is because he's too busy. Auntie, but I'm not a gentleman, I'm just your child..."
"I haven't told you yet, but Zirong and I have a daughter. I named her Ayuan. She was born on the fifteenth of August. Isn't that a coincidence? She's very mischievous and loves jade. When she had her first birthday celebration, I specially placed jade, books, and other things in her hands. But after she spun around, she ended up grabbing my hand."
“I gave her a name, which is my surname, Sui, meaning free and unrestrained. Are you going to say that I named her casually? You used to say that to me, that I gave Thirteen Niang some terrible name that had no meaning at all.”
"Auntie, please say something to me, okay? Don't ignore me, okay?"
"Ah Ling was wrong, I was wrong... Don't die, I have no one left to be with me. Xin Yi's sword came to protect me, not hers. When I first got married, you said that if I had children in the future, you would personally teach them. Please wake up."
"Wake up...please? Not in winter..."
Their lives were like a dream, and in the end, only one person remained to quietly await the end of this dream.
No one answered her. The vastness of heaven and earth seemed to hear her, and so did the wind.
White threads of rain fell from the sky, tracing the cheeks of Sui Zhixu, the cool touch stirring her heart.
An autumn rain has dissipated all love and hate.
Her sorrow and resentment finally dissipated in the world.
As Xu's tears fell on her face, was there a drop that landed at the corner of her eye? Was it her tear, or the rain?
Tears blurred her vision; she didn't know that her heart was like a desolate wasteland, lonely and empty.
On the 17th day of the tenth month of the 30th year of Jianwu, the State of Qi recovered Chang'an, and Gu Qingyi committed suicide by cutting her own throat.
At the urging of the head of the Sui family, the Sima family imprisoned him to await their fate.
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