Chapter 130: How can a bad fate be so heartless as to be affectionate?
The poetry cards on the tallow tree jingle, and two people stand under the tree, looking up.
"...This is where she died and where she was buried for fifteen years."
Xie Xuanlan's voice was clear and distant. He stroked the rough lines of the tree trunk and told Princess Chun'an about the past events that had repeatedly tormented him in his dreams.
Seeing Princess Chun'an speechless, whether out of shock or sadness, Xie Xuanlan smiled and said, "The princess has changed, but Ah Ying hasn't."
She no longer regards Ah Ying as an enemy, but Ah Ying is still as stubborn as in her previous life, willing to throw herself into the fire for him and sacrifice herself.
Xie Xuanlan sighed, "This isn't her fault. Who wouldn't love her deeply? This is my fault. I shouldn't have dragged her into the Xie family's quagmire. But when I think back on my life, I truly don't know what to do. If I could do it all over again, would I be able to let her go? This might be even more difficult than starting over."
He talked a lot and didn't seem to care who was listening. It was just that his heart was too full and he wanted to complain to any wooden stake.
In a situation that should have been tense and life-and-death, Princess Chun'an listened to him calmly, which was rare.
After hearing this, she seemed to understand: "So, you led your troops to Yunjing, not to rebel, nor to seek justice as you said."
Xie Xuanlan chuckled: "Am I just bored because I've eaten too much?"
Princess Chun'an said, "You're worried about her... To be more precise, you're worried about me."
He is not sure whether she will hurt Congying again as she did in her previous life, and he is worried whether she is qualified to be a benevolent and wise ruler.
Perhaps she passed his test, so Xie Xuanlan brought her here and told her those vague and sad things in his dreams.
For a moment, Princess Chun'an felt uneasy. "Weapons are the most important weapon of a country, and your own life is also at stake. Yet, you treat them like a joke. You don't have to blame Cong Ying. I don't think you have much sense either. At this point, have you thought of a way out for yourself?"
Xie Xuanlan seemed a little surprised: "Princess, do you want me to have a way out?"
Princess Chun'an was silent for a moment.
She didn't know that Prime Minister Xie had been executed. From a public perspective, it would of course be better if Xie Xuanlan was defeated, so that Prime Minister Xie would lose his support in Yunjing. But from a personal perspective, she didn't dare to imagine how sad Cong Ying would be.
She had already been heartbroken in her previous life, and this life was really...
The wind seemed to grow stronger, and the wooden signs on the trees clashed like the sound of iron cavalry. Xie Xuanlan lowered his brows and listened for a moment, then said, "The people who are here to pick up the princess have arrived. Please go by yourself, I won't see you off."
When Princess Chun'an heard this, she felt as if she were dreaming. He had gone through so much trouble to get her here, and now he was going to let her go after just a few words?
Are you really not going to struggle anymore?
Seeing her stunned, Xie Xuanlan remembered something and took off the tiger talisman from his waist and threw it to her: "My soldiers respect military orders as if they were a mountain. It is not a crime. Please don't make things difficult for them, Princess."
Princess Chun'an nodded: "Okay."
The slope of the mountain behind the tallow tree is high. Standing on the edge of the stone and looking into the distance, you can see an army locking the mountain.
At this moment, a voice suddenly came from behind: "Xie Xuanlan!"
Xie Xuanlan and Princess Chun'an turned around at the same time and saw Cong Ying running up breathlessly through a shortcut. They couldn't help but glance at each other, and their faces changed slightly.
Xie Xuanlan quickly whispered, "Princess, help me stop her!"
Cong Ying ran up to him, not even taking a breath: "Let His Highness go. Leave now before the path is blocked. Go!"
No matter how she pushed and dragged him, Xie Xuanlan remained motionless. He said, "I am a traitor. Where else can I go?"
Cong Ying said urgently, "Of course, you have to save your life first. Once the emperor arrives, you will have no way out! Hurry up and leave!"
Xie Xuanlan asked her, "Are you really going to disregard your status and let me go in front of the princess? From now on, you'll always be worried about a rebel who's wandering around. Who knows when you might collude with him again? Ah Ying, do you think you and the princess can still be a perfect monarch and subject under such circumstances? Do you still plan to gain a foothold in the court?"
Cong Ying broke down in tears and said, "None of this matters. I just want you to live well. As long as you're alive, it's fine. As long as you're alive, it's fine..."
She didn't consider her own life the most important thing. There were many other things that came before it, such as affection and gratitude. But when it came to Xie Xuanlan's life, she didn't care about anything else.
Out of guilt, Cong Ying never looked at Princess Chun'an, but she stood between the princess and Xie Xuanlan, making it clear that she wanted to favor Xie Xuanlan.
This made the three of them think of what happened in their previous lives almost at the same time.
It is clear that such misfortune has been changed, and a bright future is right in front of her. She just needs to wait for the dust to settle. Why is she so stubborn!
Xie Xuanlan's voice was instantly tinged with anger: "Jiang Congying! Who asked you to meddle in other people's business?"
He pulled Ying in the direction she came from, trying to drive her away, not hesitating to say hurtful words. Seeing the two of them arguing endlessly and the imperial guards gradually surrounding them at the foot of the mountain, Princess Chun'an finally spoke.
She said, "I don't want to see the regrets of my previous life again. Now that things have come to this, let's go together and go down the mountain first."
Hearing this, Cong Ying suddenly raised her tearful eyes and looked at Princess Chun'an: "Your Highness, are you... serious?"
Chun An nodded: "In an emergency, we have to make an exception. We will settle the account later."
Since Princess Chun'an had made the decision, Xie Xuanlan could not withstand four punches alone, so he had to follow the instructions of the two men and walk along the secret path towards Xuandu Temple, intending to go down the mountain through the side door of the west pavilion of Xuandu Temple.
Although the road was narrow, Cong Ying held Xie Xuanlan's hand tightly, fearing that he would change his mind and leave her.
But she was so nervously paying attention to the movements in front and behind her that she didn't notice Xie Xuanlan took out the half of the Mirror of the World from his arms and held it tightly in his hand. The edge of the bronze mirror cut his palm, and blood stained the bronze mirror. The old bronze mirror instantly reflected a bright light.
Cong Ying was very familiar with the road to Xuandu Temple. He looked out and saw that there was no one around, so he quickly led the two people behind him to the west to visit Sanqing Temple.
"The west gate is behind the statues of the Three Pure Ones in the Sanqing Hall, across a small courtyard—"
While repeatedly thinking about the way down the mountain, she stepped into the Sanqing Temple.
The temple is deep and sunlight cannot penetrate it. When you first walk in, it is dark in front of you and you need to adapt for a while before you can see the furnishings in the Sanqing Temple clearly. At this time, Zongying raised his head and saw a figure standing in front of the Sanqing statue.
He stood with his hands behind his back, facing the statue and the three of them.
When he saw the man's face clearly, Cong Ying turned pale instantly.
It is the King of Jin.
Every time Prince Jin took a step forward, she took a step back, but she still nervously protected the two people behind her, as if he were some kind of monster.
So the King of Jin smiled, a gentle yet cold smile, not a gesture of goodwill or consolation, but rather a sign of some intolerable state, a string snapping.
He first spoke to Cong Ying, "As expected, if the root of evil is not removed, the evil karma will be hard to end. Ah Ying, it seems that you won't be at peace until you push things to the extreme."
As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand, and the three of them saw that he was holding a sophisticated crossbow in his hand, with the arrow blade aimed at Xie Xuanlan.
Princess Chun'an was shocked by this scene. She thought that the grudge between Prince Jin and Xie Xuanlan was due to the theft of his wife. She was considering whether to speak out to mediate and reconcile, but she heard Ying's eyes burst out in anger as she shouted at him, "Are you crazy? If he dies, you won't be able to live either!"
King Jin curled the corners of his mouth but remained unmoved.
He turned his gaze to Princess Chun'an and said to her, "Today, it was the Prince of Jin who killed the traitor, and it was Jiang Congying who saved the princess. Do you agree with this, Princess?"
Princess Chun'an couldn't bear it: "Does it have to be like this?"
"Or else, are you just waiting to see Jiang Congying abandon his promising future and flee to the ends of the earth with the Xie rebels? Hesitation will only lead to chaos... Your Highness, I entrust my Ying to you."
Cong Ying stood in front of Xie Xuanlan and refused to give in. However, looking at the arrow blade, her eyes were on the verge of collapse. She pleaded with him tearfully: "Sanlang, I beg you, we must have another way. I am willing to listen to you. We-"
Before he could finish his words, he felt a sudden dull pain on the back of his neck.
Her consciousness immediately fell into a drowsy state, and her body fell backward softly. When she fell into Xie Xuanlan's arms, she waved her hands unwillingly, as if she still wanted to grab something subconsciously.
Xie Xuanlan supported her, his gaze lingering on her tear-stained face for a moment, a faint bitter smile playing on the corners of his lips: "You know she is stubborn, so why waste your breath on her? It will only make her sad."
Xie Xuanlan handed the unconscious Congying to Princess Chun'an to help her, took off his shoulder armor, and slowly walked towards Prince Jin.
Outside the Sanqing Palace, there were the sounds of orderly footsteps and the collision of weapons approaching, quickly surrounding the courtyard in front of the palace, and a path was split in the middle. Several leaders cautiously escorted Emperor Fengqi into the courtyard.
"A Li!" Emperor Feng Qi saw Princess Chun'an retreating to the side with an anxious look on her face from afar.
We also saw Prince Jin and Xie Xuanlan confronting each other under the statue of the Three Pure Ones.
His heart tightened and relaxed. He relaxed because Xie Xuanlan hadn't yet attacked the princess, and he was alone, unlike when the enemy was at the gates. He tensed because he was too close to Princess Chun'an, fearing the slightest movement. If he pushed him too far, he would make the princess bleed within five steps, and the whole country would be in mourning.
Therefore, Emperor Fengqi dared not move forward. He stopped in front of the Sanqing Palace and shouted, "The decree sent to Xizhou was my own idea and had nothing to do with Chun'an. It was my suspicion of the border generals that led to today's situation! Xie Xuanlan, as long as you turn back now and release the hostages, I promise to let you return to Xizhou and never again care about this matter!"
Xie Xuanlan didn't turn around when he heard that, but just smiled, not knowing whether it was self-mockery or relief.
He said to the King of Jin, "Why don't you take action? Don't you find it annoying?"
Prince Jin nodded, raised the crossbow trigger an inch, and moved his lips slightly: "Have a good journey."
Xie Xuanlan said, "You too."
As soon as the words were spoken, the arrow was shot.
At this time, the sun's shadow moved westward, and the sunlight slanted into the hall, shining right at Xie Xuanlan's feet.
Princess Chun'an in the Sanqing Palace, Emperor Fengqi outside, and a group of imperial guards watched with their own eyes as the arrow flew into Xie Xuanlan's chest, making a muffled "puff" sound, and the red arrow tip pierced through his back.
Xie Xuanlan's body suddenly stiffened, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. Then he bent his knees and slowly knelt on the ground.
pain……
The feeling of being pierced through the heart was too painful. Xie Xuanlan thought to himself, she had suffered such pain in her previous life, why didn't she learn her lesson in this life and was willing to protect him at all costs...
It's all bad fate.
The scene before his eyes began to blur and Xie Xuanlan used up his last bit of strength to turn around and look at Cong Ying, who was being held in Princess Chun'an's arms. Only then did he dare to indulge his reluctance and let his eyes linger on her face.
It is better not to meet than to see each other. How can love be like indifference?
That's all.
…
Only after Xie Xuanlan fell to the ground and was completely dead did Emperor Fengqi and the leader of the imperial guards quickly step into the Sanqing Palace. Some people stepped forward to check on Xie Xuanlan's condition, while others protected the princess and wanted to take the unconscious Princess Jin from her arms.
Xie Xuanlan didn't use much force, and Cong Ying woke up at this time.
She didn't see Xie Xuanlan when she looked straight ahead, which made her a little confused. But at this moment, she met the eyes of King Jin. She was about to ask something when she saw him smile at her.
Then, blood suddenly gushed out from between his lips, which had always been pale and bloodless. It was first bright red and then gradually turned into dark black.
His complexion also deteriorated at a speed visible to the naked eye. His already thin energy and blood faded, first turning pale, and then slowly turning into a horrible corpse-blue color. He slowly fell into a pool of blood on the ground.
Only then did Cong Ying see that Xie Xuanlan was already dead.
Two bodies fell together, and it was impossible to tell who was who. Bright blood and thick blood were flowing together, making gurgling sounds.
As Cong Ying watched this scene, it seemed as if all her senses were taken away from her for a moment. She wanted to shout, but no sound came out. She wanted to move forward, but she couldn't feel her body.
It seemed like someone was calling her, shaking her, but, but...
There was only a vast blood color left in her eyes.
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The author has something to say: I misjudged the progress a little bit, but not by much. If nothing unexpected happens, the main text will be finished in the next chapter, so you won’t have to wait too long. If you have any extra chapters you want to read, please let me know. I will consider it as appropriate. [Spread flowers]
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