Xin Yidao lowered her eyes, her fingertips lightly brushing a strand of Jiang Songyi's black hair that had fallen on his robe. Her movements were so gentle that they were almost pious, but her words were shocking, "After I die, she can remarry."
If he could marry Song Yi, how could he easily surrender his life to the devil? He would do his utmost to live a long and long life, to ensure her a safe and secure life. The word "death" was merely a pretext for Jiang Jinzhao.
But Xinyi Daoyi didn't mind the bad luck, but Jiang Jinzhao found it extremely irritating! A nameless rage shot up his spine, his face livid, and he practically growled, "What do you mean by remarrying? My family hasn't agreed to marry my sister to you yet!" He stared at Xinyi Daoyi's handsome face, mentally screaming, "Get the hell away, you sicko! Stop haunting my sister like a ghost all day long!"
Upon hearing this, Xin Yidao's eyebrows lifted slightly, almost imperceptibly. A faint, almost contemptuous glint finally crossed his eyes, which were as calm as a deep pool. The corners of his lips curved slightly, and his voice remained calm, yet it carried the undeniable pressure of a superior:
"Your family," he said softly, his eyes fixed on Jiang Jinzhao, "whether you agree or not, does it affect me?"
Such a light sentence was like a heavy hammer, hitting Jiang Jinzhao's heart!
He was momentarily speechless, a sharp pain and immense panic gripping him. He knew all too well Jiang Songyi's attitude towards the Yongding Marquisate, and towards them, his father and brothers! It was no sentimental love, but rather a deep alienation and irreconcilable resentment. She remained in the Marquisate only for the sake of her mother and several of her soon-to-be-married cousins. Once her mother's position was secure, and her cousins' lives were settled... would she still remain in this "home" that chilled her heart?
Xinyi Daoyi, the prince who possesses supreme power and unpredictable thoughts, only needs to show a little tenderness and extend an olive branch... Will his simple-minded sister, who has long been disappointed with the Marquis' Mansion, follow him without looking back?
This thought grew like a poisonous ivy, instantly draining Jiang Jinzhao of all confidence. He gazed at the prince before him, who, beneath the flickering firelight, seemed like a banished immortal, and felt that beneath his gentle, jade-like exterior lay a bottomless vortex, slowly dragging his most cherished sister away from him. A complex mix of powerlessness, anger, and panic surged through his chest, nearly overwhelming him to charge forward and pull this "immortal" who coveted his sister from his pedestal!
This night had completely different experiences for the three people in the cave.
Jiang Songyi rested her head on Xin Yidao's warm lap, her breath filled with the distinct, lingering, herbal aroma of his clothing, strangely soothing her weary, tense nerves. Enveloped in this secure support and familiar scent, she let go of all her defenses, breathing long and steady, and drifted off into a deep, sweet sleep.
Xin Yidao rested his forehead with one hand, closing his eyes to rest. The firelight cast flickering shadows on his handsome face. His posture was relaxed, his breathing steady, as if the person resting on his lap wasn't an unmarried young woman, but a rare treasure. He was indeed taking a short nap, but his guarded posture remained unwavering.
Only Jiang Jinzhao was like a stone statue roasting on a raging fire. The pain from the arrow wound in his arm had long been drowned out by the anxiety in his heart. His back was straight and stiff as a pine tree, as if the slightest relaxation would cause his whole body to collapse. His bloodshot eyes were wide open in the dim light, like two will-o'-the-wisps burning with obsession and vigilance, fixed unblinkingly on Xin Yidaoyi and his sister sleeping on his lap. He didn't dare blink, didn't dare relax even a little, for fear that the seemingly harmless prince would do something unruly right under his nose. His posture was as tragic and majestic as that of a general guarding the last city, with a determination and torment that was almost like "dying with eyes open."
The sound of rain outside the cave gradually faded, eventually fading to silence. Only the dripping of water from the mountain stream cascading through the cracks in the rocks remained. The bonfire inside the cave had also burned out its last bit of life. The flames flickered unwillingly for a few moments before finally dying out completely. Only a pile of dark red embers remained, emitting faint heat and tiny specks of crimson light in the darkness.
In the deepest silence before dawn, a deliberately light but still clearly audible sound of footsteps came from far away, crushing the wet mud outside the cave and quickly approaching the cave entrance!
Almost the instant the voice reached him, Jiang Jinzhao's eyes gleamed like a startled beast, his eyes blazing with brilliance! With lightning speed, he snatched up the scholar's sword, the hilt warm from his grip, which had been lying at his side, and held it across his body. The icy blade reflected a chilling glint in the dim glow of the remaining charcoal. This sword had been his last defense against Xinyi Daoyi—if the prince dared to do anything unkind to his sister, he would stab him to the bone, even at the cost of his own life!
At the same time, Xinyi Daoyi suddenly opened his eyes. His cold eyes, sharp as an eagle in the darkness, instantly locked onto the direction of the cave entrance. He shouted in a deep voice, with an unyielding dignity: "Who are you?!"
"Jinyiwei!"
A voice, as cold as an ice blade and devoid of emotion, accompanied by a soft "crack," suddenly pierced the darkness within the cave. A cluster of orange flames lit up at the cave entrance, quickly igniting the tinder in the visitor's hand.
The jumping flames split the darkness like a sharp sword, instantly exposing everything in the cave.
Jiang Jinzhao's tense nerves suddenly relaxed when he saw the familiar Feiyu uniform. He relaxed his grip on the hilt slightly, but didn't let go completely. "It's good that he's not an assassin..." he thought to himself.
The sudden burst of light also startled Jiang Songyi from her deep sleep. She moaned, her long eyelashes fluttering a few times before she drowsily opened her eyes. Deeply sleepy and dazed, she subconsciously raised her hand to rub her eyes, her voice soft and vague, "Hmm... is it dawn yet?"
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