Luthier (14)
Not long after, Li Chiyin's face got better, but it was not known whether it was natural or the medicine of the Great Witch God took effect. This has always been a mystery.
But one thing is clear: since that time, the cause of Li Chiyin's death has been obvious.
Although later on, under the persuasion of Xiao Lin and others, Hu Yanjun found a traveling doctor from the Central Plains for her and gave her a prescription for detoxification, it was too late. She was still injured and her body became much weaker, and she had to rely on drugs to maintain her health.
What else could they do? They had finally fulfilled Jiang Yu's request and discovered the cause of Li Chiyin's death.
But after that, it is unknown when she will die and whether Jiang Yu will still be blind.
However, since the last disaster, perhaps because Huyan Jun felt he owed Li Chiyin, or perhaps because her reputation among the people was growing day by day, he no longer bothered with her, and was alone, amusing his infant daughter in silence.
Not only did he no longer restrict her movements, he even stopped asking about everything between her and Jiang Yu. He also specially invited a Central Plains band to play songs from his hometown for her.
But the band often came to the palace with the dusk, and the long flutes outside the palace would also start to sound as the lights in the streets were turned on, little by little, when the candlelight and the stars shone together, the flute music from the hometown could no longer cover up the flute music of Fu Jue.
The long flute played melodiously, bringing the wind from the wilderness, but it could not blow away the piano music flowing in her heart among the Kui Xi Mountains.
Li Chiyin fell asleep after listening for a while - she had been in a daze for a long time.
After disbanding the band, Li Chiyin and Jiang Yu sat opposite each other.
Seeing that she looked unwell, Jiang Yu picked up the red date and white fungus soup that he had prepared beside him, scooped a spoonful of it, blew it to his lips, and then handed it to Li Chiyin.
Li Chiyin took a sip and leaned sideways on the bedside support.
For Jiang Yu, every sigh of Li Chiyin penetrated into his body. He felt deeply sorry for her but was powerless to do anything, so he could only watch her suffer.
Seeing no one around, Jiang Yu stared at Li Chiyin's listless eyes and spoke his mind with gritted teeth: "Chiyin, we... no, I... I will take you away... escape from this miserable place, to a place where it's just you and me, and live a good life together... okay..."
If this had been said earlier, Li Chiyin would have agreed without hesitation.
But now, Jiang Yu did not get the answer he expected. Instead, Li Chiyin closed his eyes and shook his head.
"Ah, I'm sorry, we can't..."
"Why?" Jiang Yu was not surprised when he asked this question. In fact, he had already expected Li Chiyin's answer, "You don't want to be with me anymore..."
Li Chiyin smiled slightly, shook his head again, and said, "Ah'an, don't you understand? It's not that I don't want to, it's that I can't..."
Jiang Yu kept silent.
"I am in Fujue, representing my people. I came here to marry into the royal family. Since I married into the Fujue royal family, I am no longer the Li Chiyin I once was..."
Listening to Li Chiyin's weak voice, Jiang Yu's eyes couldn't help but turn red.
"War, disaster victims, famine, uncertainty—all of these things touch my heart. I only regret that I was born into the royal family, destined to sacrifice myself to protect the safety of my people. These days, every night, I can't control my homesickness. So every night I get out of bed, look at the bright moon in the sky, and think of my loved ones on the other side..."
As he spoke, Jiang Yu took Li Chiyin's hand.
Her hands had become icy cold. He wanted to warm them with his own hands, but her coldness took away the remaining warmth.
"Ah'er," Li Chiyin opened her eyes, which were already filled with tears, and she gleamed with tears. "I thank you for having the courage to leave your hometown and come to me. You are the person I loved most in my youth, the best friend who could comfort me when I was anxious, the relative I was willing to give up my princess status to live alone with you, and the only thing I thought of when I was suffering in Fujue. I love you, I love you very much..."
"But this love is enough for now. There are still too many mountains of prejudice between us, too many responsibilities to shoulder. Even though I don't think our meeting was a mistake from the beginning, I can only bury my deep love for you at this moment and swallow the torment in my heart. You once gave me the most beautiful time, and I will remember it in my heart..."
After hearing this, Jiang Yu's nose felt sore and hot tears left two scars on his cheeks.
He knew very well that even if Li Chiyin said so, he was still so insignificant in front of her.
He hated his own powerlessness.
In Fujue, he had always relied on her protection, but he could only watch helplessly as she suffered and was tortured beyond recognition by a group of beasts.
"Ah'er, I can't hold on much longer, but I really want to go see the winter jasmine in full bloom in the spring..."
"Yes, we will see it. After this winter, we will go to the border to see the winter jasmine..."
Li Chiyin just smiled, as if thinking about something.
"Ah's brother, before that, I want you to promise me a wish..."
"You said I would go through fire and water for you."
"I want you to ask me to marry you again, not be so timid like last time, and we can get married openly and honestly... I know this is just a fantasy, but even if it's just a vain thought, I will consider this life complete and leave without regrets..."
Jiang Yu could no longer bear the inner collapse. He was completely defeated by Li Chiyin, and the only remaining strength in his heart was instantly gone.
He took Li Chiyin's hands, covered them with his whole hands, forced a smile, and whispered softly: "Chiyin, will you marry me, be my wife, live in seclusion in the mountains with me, farm in the sun and study in the rain, and be a happy couple..."
Li Chiyin raised her lips slightly, her eyes full of tenderness: "This is a great honor for me..."
After that, the two hugged each other and cried, tears pouring down and wetting each other's shoulders.
At this moment, they are no longer a princess and a musician, but a pair of lovers in the mortal world who are committed to spending their lives together.
I wish the man would farm and the woman would weave, and become a drop in the ocean. I swear to hold hands with you and disappear into the dust.
Afterwards, Li Chiyin had a good dream.
She dreamed that she was no longer a princess, but a peasant woman wearing cloth.
Taking small steps through the bamboo forest path, I was filled with the fragrance. Finally, at the end of the path, there was a house with firewood burning.
It was probably noon, the aroma of food filled the air, and then two children, a boy and a girl, ran out of someone's house.
They ran towards her holding bamboo horses and kites, calling out the vaguely identifiable word "mother".
She stood there when the two children grabbed her hands and dragged her into the house.
When he pushed open the bamboo door, he saw Jiang Yu standing in front of him, who had just returned from selling goods.
He was dressed in civilian clothes and gave her a warm greeting. Then he bent down, picked up the girl and kissed her cheek. Then he waved to her and walked towards the dining table.
The dishes on the table were steaming, all of which were her favorites. Her husband and children were also sitting at the table. Everything here seemed peaceful and harmonious.
The scene before him was so beautiful, but Li Chiyin knew that it was just a very real dream.
This was the scene she had always looked forward to seeing.
Whatever you think about during the day, you dream about at night.
Even if it was a dream, she would have no regrets in her life for being able to witness this delusion with her own eyes.
When Li Chiyin woke up, Jiang Yu was no longer by her side. She had some energy left and decided to get out of bed to look for him.
Holding on to the wall, she walked through one corridor after another. She happened to pass by the side door of the hall and vaguely heard the discussions in the hall. Unable to bear it any longer, Li Chiyin moved closer to listen carefully.
"Your Majesty, now that Kuixi has divided his forces to suppress the unrest in the south, it is a perfect opportunity for me, Fujue, to dispatch troops and seize the Cangji area for myself!"
"Yes, Your Majesty! The Cangji area has always been a battleground between Fu Jue and Kui Xi. Now that the enemy is weak and we are strong, it is a good opportunity!"
"I also hold the same opinion!"
…
They're going to take advantage of the chaos to send troops! Li Chiyin's eyes widened unconsciously.
Everyone in the hall seemed to unanimously support Hu Yanjun's decision to send troops, but there was no response from Hu Yanjun.
"You don't need to say anything more. I will consider it myself." Hu Yanjun tried to suppress the noise below the stairs.
"Your Majesty, if we miss this opportunity, it will be difficult to seize the Cangji area in the future!" a minister threatened.
"I know, and I will take action!"
After these words were spoken, the originally agitated ministers calmed down. Hu Yanjun glanced at them, waved his hand and left, not forgetting to order: "Take some fruit with you, I want to see the Queen Mother!"
As soon as he heard that Huyan Jun was coming, Li Chiyin immediately turned around and ran away.
Taking somewhat weak steps, she finally sat down on the bed, panting, before Huyan Jun arrived.
Huyan Jun and his maid pushed open the door of Li Chiyin's bedroom and saw her sitting on the bed staring at him with a strange look. He immediately noticed something was wrong and wisely asked the maid to put the fruit plate on the table in her room and then sent them away.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Hu Yanjun said as he walked towards Li Chiyin, and in a blink of an eye he arrived in front of Li Chiyin's bed.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why are you taking advantage of someone's misfortune to capture Cang Ji? Are you going to fight Kui Xi again? Where do you want to put me?"
Li Chiyin's words made Hu Yanjun feel uncomfortable. He frowned and said with disdain: "Are you eavesdropping?"
Huyan Jun's question choked Li Chiyin. She did not answer directly, but just sat up on the bed and stared at Huyan Jun.
Hu Yanjun sneered and continued, "Taking advantage of someone's misfortune? Don't forget, I am King Fujue, and everything will naturally be based on Fujue's interests first."
"We should follow the Fujue tradition and fight him fairly! Instead of beating him like this!" Li Chiyin, who was furious, suddenly started coughing, but Huyan Jun ignored him.
"Shut up!" Hu Yanjun was furious. He reached out and grabbed Li Chiyin's neck, veins bulging. "I did agree not to go to war with Kuixi when I married you, but I only promised not to attack Kuixi! Cangji doesn't belong to any country! I can send troops to seize it!"
"Then do you know how much manpower will be consumed if we send out the troops? How many people will be killed! Ahem..."
"Don't try to guess my thoughts with your womanly kindness! Cangji has been at war for years. If we don't annex this land as soon as possible, the people in that area will have to endure the war even longer!"
Li Chiyin suddenly felt a tightness in her chest. She raised her hand to press her chest and continued to refute: "Ahem, if you really want the people of Cangji to be safe, you should take the initiative to seek peace! Instead of forcing them to surrender by fighting! Ahem..."
"Shut up! You still have the nerve to blame me? Isn't this a common trick you Central Plains people use?"
"You keep saying how cunning and stingy the people of the Central Plains are, but now aren't you eager to join the army? In fact, you are just a petty scoundrel you look down upon! Ahem..."
"you……"
Before Hu Yanjun finished speaking, he suddenly noticed that Li Chiyin's cough became rapid.
He immediately sat down beside the bed and supported her, but Li Chiyin continued to cough. Suddenly, she felt a fishy taste in her throat. She opened her hand that was covering her mouth and saw a pool of thick blood.
Hu Yanjun was immediately frightened by Li Chiyin's appearance. While stroking Li Chiyin's back, he shouted out the door, "Call the doctor from the Central Plains!"
But Li Chiyin's cough did not stop.
What was worse was that the coughing seemed to have no intention of stopping and became more and more rapid. She gradually felt exhausted and collapsed in a blur.
What happened next, she lost her mind.
Li Chiyin only felt that he had spent an endless dark night, and the rest was unknown.
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