Chapter 70 Chapter 70 From now on, you and I will no longer be friends.
"I never planned to start a family in Jiankang. If I marry him, I won't be able to live so freely."
Wang Zhuozhang looked at the man lazily leaning on the backrest, then glanced back at Mr. Li who kept looking over his shoulder, and sighed helplessly, "Then why did you provoke that young master?"
She broke off a slice of tangerine, put it in her mouth, and said incoherently: "What do you mean by provoking? I just said a few words to him, accepted his sachet and handkerchief, and touched his hand a few times. I didn't even kiss him a few times - well -"
Today they were attending the first birthday party for Xie Qingyan, daughter of the Xie family of Chen County. The courtyard was packed with guests, ladies and gentlemen seated at their respective tables, chatting and laughing.
Xie Qingyan sat in the main seat, holding his delicate little daughter in his arms, his eyes and eyebrows filled with unconcealable joy.
Wang Zhuozhang opened his folding fan, pressed it against her mouth, and said helplessly, "Xuanji, your mouth is the most hated thing on your body."
The two of them hid their faces behind their folding fans, blocking the frequent glances from Mr. Li opposite them.
Wang Zhuozhang lowered his voice, "Since you have no interest in him, don't accept his sachet. Look how bewildered you have made this Mr. Li. He keeps looking over here."
She replied, "He has his eyes on me, and I can't help him. That young man from the Li family and I only had a few romantic encounters under the moonlight. It was consensual, and we each got what we wanted. What's wrong with that? Anyway, I'm not going to marry him."
At this point, she couldn't help but recite a line of poetry: "When life is good, enjoy it to the fullest, don't let the golden cup face the moon empty. When our five-year agreement is over, I will ride my horse to the ends of the earth. Marriage? I've never thought about it."
Wang Zhuozhang sighed, "Then don't mess with these noble men all the time. How many has it been this month? However, if you really want to marry in the future, join me in the army, earn military merit, and win a title. Then, whether it's the Zhaojun Li family or the Shangyu Zhu family, you can choose."
"Why are you talking about joining the army again?" She waved her hand. "Oh, fine, I have no objection. If you want to join, then go ahead. It's no fun being a useless Jinwu Guard in the palace every day anyway."
"Oh? Who was it last time that said being a Jinwu Guard was very interesting, saving a peerless beauty from a fire, and talking about how the dance at the palace banquet that night was haunting?" Wang Zhuozhang raised his eyebrows teasingly.
She sat up straight with a jerk. "That beauty has now been canonized as the consort of Chunhe Hall." She curled her lips and tutted, "He's the emperor's man. Although I, Xuanji, lust after beauty, wouldn't do something so head-breaking."
Just then, Yuan Zhaoyun passed behind them, and they immediately fell silent. After the figure faded, Wang Zhuozhang lowered his voice, "It's good that you understand. Some people are destined not to be touched. I asked you to burn the silk book that your beloved gave you for your own good. If someone with ulterior motives took it, it would be evidence of a capital offense."
"Actually..." She smacked her lips regretfully, "It's not a bad idea to have a one-night stand. The emperor won't find out anyway..."
——Bang!
Wang Zhuozhang slapped her on the forehead.
She covered her forehead in pain and glared, "I didn't sleep, nothing happened!"
"You are so bold! You even want to cuckold His Majesty."
She casually said something that made people shudder, "The emperor has three thousand beauties in his harem. If he really wanted to cheat, how would anyone know? I'm afraid she would be cuckolded every day when she goes to court."
As she spoke, she glanced at Yuan Zhaoyun, who was congratulating Xie Qingyan, and said, "Hey, Wang Zhuozhang, let me tell you something."
She placed her arm on Wang Zhuozhang's shoulder and whispered in his ear, "A few days ago, I was on duty in the palace and saw the alchemist recommended by Yuan staying in the emperor's bedroom all night. He said he was refining some elixir of immortality."
He couldn't help but sneer, "Ever since taking that elixir, Her Majesty has become even more dissolute, requesting four or five men to sleep with her every night. Even the best of her body couldn't handle such indulgence. She actually wants to live forever? What a foolish dream."
Upon hearing this, Wang Zhuozhang frowned and said, "In Jiankang City, my Langya Wang family is the leading aristocratic clan. The Yuan family, as a prominent family in Runan, now controls the Qingluan Army. I'm afraid they want to use this alchemist to win favor with the emperor and compete with my Wang family."
She raised her eyebrows, a cold light flashing in her eyes, "In that case, do you want me to kill the alchemist for you? Don't worry, I will do it, and I won't leave any traces."
"If you kill this one, Yuan will send another into the palace. This will only treat the symptoms, not the root cause." Wang Zhuozhang shook his head and sighed, "You've read a lot, so why don't you understand this?"
"I read it, but I forget it after finishing it. There's nothing I can do. The knowledge doesn't enter my brain." She shrugged nonchalantly.
Wang Zhuozhang gave her a cold glance and said, "Go back today and copy the book ten times. If you still can't remember it, copy it until you do."
She chuckled and said, "You might not even understand my poor handwriting."
Wang Zhuozhang held his forehead and said, "Look at your poor handwriting. Don't tell me you taught me this in the future. I'm embarrassed."
As they were talking, a sudden commotion erupted from Xie Qingyan's direction. Turning to look, they saw several servants kneeling and trembling, begging for mercy. Xie Qingyan's face was as cold as frost, and the baby in his arms was pale, its lips an unusually purple.
On the ground, a bowl of spilled porridge was steaming.
"Master, please spare me! Master, please spare me!" The servant, pinned to the ground by the guards, burst into tears. "This porridge was brought from the kitchen. I know nothing about it! Even if I had ten guts, I wouldn't dare to harm this young lady!"
Xie Qingyan stood there speechless, while Mr. Xie beside him had already burst into tears.
The doctor staggered to the baby's side, examined her in a panic, and tremblingly took a little of the leftover porridge to smell it. Finally, his face pale as he knelt down and reported: "Master, the young lady has accidentally eaten poisonous mushrooms. The baby is weak, I'm afraid... I'm afraid..." He didn't dare to say the rest.
The joyous first birthday party was about to turn into a funeral in the blink of an eye.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Xie collapsed to the ground.
Before Wang Zhuozhang could react, the person beside him suddenly stood up. She hurriedly grabbed him and asked, "What are you doing?"
The man pulled out a brocade box from his bosom and opened it to reveal a lustrous pill. "This is the life-saving elixir the emperor gave me a few days ago. I happen to have it with me today. Give it to her. I can't use it anyway."
"Well, if you save him, then the Xie family of Chenjun will owe you a huge favor. Go ahead."
The doctor took the pill tremblingly, sniffed it carefully, and then carefully cut it open with a silver knife. He exclaimed that it was a good medicine, cut off half of the pill immediately, dissolved it with warm water, and carefully fed it to the baby's mouth.
About a quarter of an hour later, seeing the purple lip color gradually fade and the breathing become stable, the doctor finally breathed a sigh of relief and knelt down, shouting, "Master! The young lady is out of danger! It's really a blessing from heaven!"
Xie Qingyan straightened his clothes and hat, bowed with both hands, and said to her, "Thank you, Madam Xuanji, for saving my life. If the Wang Clan of Langya has any mission in the future, Xie will do her utmost to help."
"Oh... no... my last name is really not Wang..." She waved her hands awkwardly.
Turning around, she saw Wang Zhuozhang looking away, trying to suppress a laugh. She nudged his arm and said, "In the end, this favor still falls on you, the Wang Clan of Langya."
Time has passed, and after two lifetimes, Xie Tingyu still doesn't understand why the young men are so obsessed with getting married.
She looked at Ji Lian, who was crying, in confusion, "But we are very happy now, aren't we?"
Ji Lian's voice trembled with sobs, "What I want is never this fleeting moment of pleasure. Xie Tingyu, do you understand?"
He wanted to stay with her for a long time and grow old with her, not just have this fleeting love.
Xie Tingyu shook his head.
Ji Lian's heart ached, and she felt like it would break if she said one more word. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, she was suddenly grabbed by the wrist.
He struggled hard, but to no avail. He looked at Xie Tingyu with red eyes full of hatred, "Let go. I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore."
"Really? Lianlian, you..."
"Shut up!" Ji Lian interrupted harshly, a thick bitterness rolling in his throat, "From now on, you are not allowed to call me Lianlang, let alone Lianlian!"
Xie Tingyu was still as confused as a child. "Is it because I've never thought about marrying you? Compared to something that I don't know when it will come true, isn't happiness right now more important?"
It really doesn't make sense! It's really impossible to explain!
Ji Lian, utterly furious, suddenly grabbed Xie Tingyu's hand and bit it hard. Reluctance, resentment, and love all coalesced into this bite, mingling with tears as the palm of her hand bled. Drops of crimson blood fell onto the bluestone slabs, splattering the blossoms of red plum blossoms.
Xie Tingyu watched Ji Lian raise his head from her palm. The corners of his eyes were very red, tears were streaming down his face, his lips were stained with scarlet blood, and his chest was heaving violently, obviously he was so angry that he could not control himself.
But her eyes were still as calm as a cold pond, which made Ji Lian even angrier and more hateful.
I am so heartbroken, yet you remain so calm. Xie Tingyu, have you ever truly felt for me?
But Ji Lian didn't dare to ask any more questions, for he was afraid of hearing a more hurtful answer.
"Where is the jade comb I gave you?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
Xie Tingyu's eyes flickered slightly, having guessed his intention. She stared at Ji Lian intently, "Lian Lian, I never look back."
"Bring it here."
When the jade comb with the lotus flowers carved on it was taken from Xie Tingyu's arms, Ji Lian snatched it away and threw it into the center of the lake. The jade comb drew an arc in the air and fell straight into the lake. With a plop, it disappeared without a trace.
The jade comb that once carried the wish for a safe return sank to the bottom of the cold lake.
The lake is bottomless. It will probably take half a month to find this small jade comb, or it may not be found at all.
Ji Lian choked up and looked at Xie Tingyu, her heart aching, but she still said word by word, "When you see me in the future, you must abide by your duties."
Every word pierces my heart, and the lingering scenes of the past flash back in my mind. The warmth of our embrace, the throbbing of our kisses.
It hurts, even more.
Seeing Xie Tingyu about to step forward, Ji Lian quickly retreated several steps and yanked out the black jade hairpin. His long black hair cascaded down like a waterfall. He pressed the tip of the hairpin against his cheek, "Don't come any closer! If you take another step closer, I'll ruin this face."
Her voice was trembling but resolute. "Don't you love my appearance the most? If you don't really care about me, why should I cherish you?"
"Lianlian, are you breaking up with me?" Xie Tingyu asked softly.
Blood rushed to his head, and Ji Lian could no longer suppress the words of determination.
"yes."
"From now on, I will no longer be with you."
Tears flowed freely, and my vision was blurred. I saw the back of the person in red turning around and leaving decisively.
The fingertips lost strength and the black jade hairpin fell to the ground, making a crisp tinkling sound when it hit the ground.
Ji Lian's knees softened and she knelt down dejectedly.
It was irreversible, he closed his eyes in despair, and from then on she would never look back at him again.
It's really over between them.
He covered his face with his hands, tears welling between his fingers. Was this the real pain of breaking up? He felt his heart was empty, like it would never beat again.
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The author has something to say: The foreshadowing in this chapter is:
Chapter One: A girl named Wang who was attending the banquet saved Xie Tingyu who was only one year old.
Chapter 13: The emperor takes the elixir. Does the hero's father have feelings for the heroine? Does anything really happen between them?
The reason why Xie Qingyan calls the heroine "Madam Wang" is because at this time the heroine has been adopted as a daughter by the Wang family of Langya. For details, please see Chapter 17.
When life is good, you should enjoy it to the fullest, and don't let the golden cup face the moon empty. --- Song of Invitation to Wine, Li Bai
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