Lamenting the death
Chapter 5: Lamenting Death
When he opened his eyes in the morning, Peng Zuoyuan found himself in a messy bed. In his sight was Yi Huan, who was naked. Her blood-red eyes looked at him resentfully, and her messy hair half covered her face, concealing the resentful look.
Peng Zuoyan was stunned for a moment before he remembered that Yi Huan saw an opportunity and wanted to escape. He had no choice but to tie her to the end of the bed, with a cloth tied around her lips, and slept like that all night.
Now it seems that she hasn't slept yet.
The contrast between her misery and his comfort was too strong. Peng Zuoyan stood up in his underwear, threw a piece of clothing over her and said, "Yi Huan, stop making trouble. I will allow you to untie me."
Yi Huan remained silent, turned his head and buried it in the quilt, hiding the big tears in the corners of his eyes.
The protruding bones on the woman's back were symmetrical, like a butterfly about to fly. They could not be seen clearly through the gauze. The waistline was smooth and hidden behind her. The touch she had felt last night was gone. Thinking back to the taste of blood mixed with love fluid, the heat in her abdomen surged up again.
However, Peng Zuoyuan had no intention of coming back. He asked someone to come in and serve him, and then went into the inner bathroom first.
The other two maids did not seem surprised by their playful situation. After paying their respects, they skillfully helped Yi Huan wipe and change his clothes.
Peng Zuoyao returned shirtless. The maid knelt to help him put on the last of his jade-studded leather belt. She glanced at her scowl in the mother-of-pearl bronze mirror and said stiffly, "According to the rules, you should change clothes for me."
"According to Henan law, for forcibly abducting a decent woman, you should be exiled for three years."
Peng Zuoyan closed his eyes and pretended not to hear anything, looking as if he was not afraid of the boiling water.
"Bah! Rape! Shameless thing! Despicable! Good-looking but useless, you are just a cucumber! Yu Ting is better than you..."
After the man put on the jewelry, he stood in the middle of the crouching maids. His expression was no longer the pretended approachable one, but his eyebrows revealed his arrogance.
"Yi Huan, if you can't shut up your swearing mouth, I will kill you with my sword."
Yi Huan was furious, but said fearlessly: "Even if you kill me, I will remember what you did."
Even stronger than his cruelty was her hatred and disgust.
Peng Zuoyan put one hand behind his back and walked over quickly. He clamped his other hand around her neck and pulled her up with her back against him. He ignored her struggles and held her tightly in his arms.
Her round and white earlobes were pressed against her chin. Peng Zuoyan raised his neck and opened his mouth, clenching his upper and lower teeth. His deep eyes did not smile: "Yi Huan, do you think I am teasing you?"
"Be obedient and do your duty."
Is he going to stick to his duty of forcing people to bully others? Yi Huan sneered, his bloodshot eyes widening with anger: "You'd better pray that I die."
Following him was the maid who dressed her and helped her leave.
Yi Huan watched them lock the door and deliver the meal. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She cursed and smashed the furnishings in the house. Apart from her hysteria, there was no sound of conversation in the entire courtyard. The dozens of servants standing there were no different from their masters, with cold faces and indifferent hearts.
Peng Zuoyan did not come again that night, and Yi Huan did not throw the tray again. He sat down and ate in silence.
Peng Zuoyan is not a person who would compromise himself. Even if Yi Huan is not willing, he will still come and make some effort. He often works until midnight and listens to her scolding.
When she scratched him, he exerted force on her body, causing her hands to become weak and she cried out in pain.
After having enough fun, Peng Zuoyan moved closer to her face, his breath gushing with heat. He still had the energy to say, "One pain for another, Ah Huan, what if you hurt me again?"
As if they were in a dispute, Yi Huan overturned screens, lamps, and long tables for several days in a row. As soon as Peng Zuoyuan entered the room, a tea lid was thrown at him in the face. A sword handle grew out from behind him and stretched forward, easily blocking it with his right hand.
Peng Zuoyan walked in without blinking, stepped over the yellow-green lotus bowl weighed down by broken porcelain pieces in front of the fallen flower table, sat on the only unfallen mahogany armchair, and asked for tea without anger.
Peng Zuoyao looked at Yi Huan who was silent, swallowed the tea in his mouth and said, "You are ruining things."
No matter how luxurious the decoration was, it couldn't withstand her daily throwing things away. It wasn't that he was worried about the things, but when his patience reached its limit, he had to stop it.
"If you continue to be restless, I will kill one of the maids I see until you are quiet."
Yi Huan almost suspected that he was hallucinating. "What did you say? Are you threatening me? They are your people, what does it have to do with me?"
"So if they can't persuade you, I will persuade you in the future."
Yi Huan took a few steps back, leaned against the door frame, and muttered, "Manfu, you lunatic!"
Peng Zuoyang leaned back, looked at her, and casually decided the life and death of a person.
The guillotine of death was about to fall on his neck. His usual composure was gone. His ears were filled with the cries of the kneeling maidservants begging for mercy, but he had ordered them to be silenced. Yi Huan shouted loudly: "They are all yours, you tyrant! They are human beings, not animals you can kill at will!"
The man raised his finger lightly, and the guard drew his sword without hesitation. The words of begging for mercy were still lingering in the maid's throat.
The bright red dye permeated the white pebbled crabapple pattern on the ground. Silence fell for a moment. Yi Huan was stunned. His legs went weak and he slid against the door. He looked around and fell on him. He said, "Cold-blooded."
They are really alike as master and servant. They kill each other, but she, the victim, can't stand it. It's so ironic.
Peng Zuoyan bent down and looked at her levelly, speaking calmly as if he thought she was making a fuss: "Ah Huan, they are my slaves. Whoever I want to die, I will not live."
"You're crazy..."
"If I can bear it, do you really want to kill them all? How long will it take to kill six people? Who else do you want to kill?"
"Tsk...ha." Peng Zuoyan laughed at her feigned cold-bloodedness and asked firmly, "Ah Huan, you're a woman, how can you be so hard-hearted?"
He planned to take advantage of her because he knew she would be soft-hearted.
The moment the second sword was drawn, Yi Huan turned his eyes away and shouted to stop. The sword-wielding guard stopped without sheathing his sword and bent down to see what he meant.
Peng Zuoyan spoke lightly, finding a comfortable position to lean against her. "Stop. Ah Huan, have you made your choice?"
"You've killed so many people, aren't you afraid of the ghosts who will take your life?"
She looked up as if the person before her was a perverted murderer. Peng Zuoyan laughed out loud and asked gently, "Ah Huan, between the wronged soul and the executioner, which one would you choose?"
His choice has already shown that Peng Zuoyan wants to be an indifferent ruler and will never be a cow or sheep on the chopping board.
"Ah Huan, if you're talking about bloodlust, I joined the army at the age of eight, and it's been sixteen years now. So many people have died at my hands that I can't even begin to count them all. If you ask me how I feel about it, it's like slaughtering a bear or a deer."
What Peng Zuoyuan said was reasonable. Every battle was fought in a sea of blood. Only ignorant scholars in prosperous times did not know the force of the collision of swords.
Yi Huan lowered his eyes in disgust to hide his deep displeasure and avoided looking into his eyes.
What happened that day frightened the two serving maids. The housekeeper had them punished and started buying a prostitute.
"My maid greets Miss Huan." Yu Xiang followed Cuizhi in kneeling and bowing, and stood quietly with the other two people who were wearing the same clothes.
Yi Huan was suspicious, but asked calmly, "What do you mean?"
"Miss Huan, please take a look at the new maids: Chen Xiang, Dou Kou, and Xin Yi."
Cuizhi gave him a look, and the three of them knelt down to greet him.
Yi Huan snorted in dissatisfaction and pointed at Yu Xiang, "You stay, all of you get out."
Cuizhi gave the latter a look that said "wait patiently", and several people retreated one by one.
"What brings you here?"
Yu Xiang took two steps forward and whispered, "We were very worried about you and wanted to take this opportunity to see you."
Yi Huan remained silent. This was the worst possible outcome. After a moment, he asked, "Did Ah Yu know about this too?"
"I persuaded him to stay, so I came here to ask about your situation. I know you are definitely not that kind of person. You must have a way to escape."
"laugh."
Yi Huan sat down and looked up, saying sarcastically, "Perhaps I am greedy for wealth and fame, and am taking this opportunity to curry favor with others."
Yu Xiang shook her head affirmatively, "You are not that kind of person."
The three of them grew up together. If Yu Xiang hadn't stabbed them in the back, they would have participated in many of each other's important and happy things and would have been lifelong friends.
"You have a stable income at the escort agency, and you and Ah Yu are in love. Even if General Peng becomes a better person, you will not abandon Ah Yu."
Yi Huan squinted at her and said in a bad tone, "Really? It seems you understand me."
After quietly serving as a maid for a few days, Yi Huan was awakened from her deep sleep by Yu Xiang's soft voice, "Niang Huan, follow me quickly to Banxipo. Ah Yu is waiting for you there."
"How could his guards be lax? You've been deceived." Yi Huan woke up instantly and looked at the window vigilantly.
"I used drugs, General Peng is not at home, and there is no one along the way."
During the few days of scouting, Yu Xiang had thoroughly understood the night shifts in the backyard and was just waiting to take action tonight.
"If it's a trap, we can still exploit it. Take advantage of General Peng's absence and roam freely in the vast world, as you said." Yu Xiang held her sultry hands and advised, "Even if we're caught, so what? Are you willing to be confined to the backyard for the rest of your life?"
Persuaded by Yu Xiang, Yi Huan followed her lightly. Just as she was about to step out the back door, she turned and stopped. Thinking of his fierce, fake smile, Yi Huan hesitated and said, "Do you know that if this happens, you won't survive."
Yu Xiangniang stood gracefully in the moonlight. Although her family was poor, her experience gave her the confidence to stand tall. Seeing that she was a little worried about herself, she couldn't help but smile.
"Huan Niang, if I die for you once, will you forgive me?"
"…You know I can't."
The most urgent thing was to get her to leave quickly. Yu Xiang quickly replied, "It's good for you to remember me for the rest of your life."
Yi Huan grabbed her wrist in a hurry. Yu Xiang felt a little pain, stopped the painful groan in her throat, and raised her right hand slightly to cover the scar exposed by her sleeve.
"Yu Xiang, I don't agree with your meaningless sacrifice."
"But I think it's worth it." Yu Xiang struggled to break free, pushed Yi Huan forward, and said with assurance to comfort her: "Go find Ah Yu quickly, maybe I won't die."
Before reaching Banxipo, the sound of horse hooves came from afar. The leader was not afraid of disturbing her at all, and the noise was so loud that everyone was excited.
An arrow shot past his right ear. Yi Huan glanced back and saw the horses, led by Peng Zuoyang, had already seen their hooves. He figured out what to do in a split second, then lifted his skirt and continued running forward.
Peng Zuoyang snorted, reined in his horse, and put the arrow on the horn bow again. He aimed the sharp steel arrowhead at the shaking back of the running girl and shot it out suddenly. Yi Huan was hit by the arrow nailed to the ground and rolled half a circle in embarrassment.
Regardless of the dirt on his face and his messy black hair, Yi Huan tore his clothes with both hands to break free, and while backing away, he watched them approach with a stubborn look on his face.
Her dissatisfaction was written all over her face. Peng Zuoyuan waved and had Yu Xiang brought forward. He said condescendingly, "Yi Huan, if you take another step back, I will kill Yu Xiang."
"Did you know we knew each other?"
"There's probably another person nearby. I've already ordered a search. Ah Huan, their lives are in your hands."
Yi Huan's legs felt extremely heavy as she retreated. He was threatening A Yu's life, and she cared so much that she couldn't remain indifferent.
Seeing her compromise, Peng Zuoyan became even more angry. He glanced at the mountains behind her and pointed at the long sword at his side with his right hand.
It was time to see blood, for they had repeatedly provoked his displeasure.
Yu Xiang was not tied up, but two men held swords to his neck. He still had the mood to smile at her, "Huan Niang, I was right. I'm sorry for causing you to be caught up."
He had already set an ambush and there was no need to force her to reveal her escape route. Everything was under Peng Zuoyan's control.
The atmosphere didn't seem confrontational. The two people, wearing similar clothes, stared at each other from a distance. Yu Xiang spoke first, her eyes as warm as night water, unafraid of the threat behind her. "Huan Niang, I regret it every day after I told Zhou Yacong about it."
"If you were fine, would you still remember me? Would my sacrifice still matter?"
"...I don't know." Yu Xiang whispered in disappointment, her dark eyes full of guilt.
"You only thought of me because you were hurt by him, but wasn't I also being hurt by you at that time?"
Before mentioning it, Yi Huan was a little resentful. He brought up the old matter again, but the timing was not right.
"Yu Xiang, I've never told you about the two months I spent at the Zhou family. You kept me on the mountain for afternoons and entire nights. I took the blame when you went out, and the maids and servants at the Zhou family talked about me behind my back, saying it was inappropriate for an unmarried woman to live in someone else's house. When we went out together, I gradually started following you around like a little tail. I was treated coldly time and time again, and then you pushed me to Hua Min. Ask yourself, did you really not consider my feelings back then?"
The person being questioned murmured nothing, pinched his fingers and stepped back half a foot.
Hua Min is from the same hometown as Zhou Yacong. After Yu Xiang met Zhou Yacong, the four of them had only known each other for a while. After Hua Min became interested in him, Yu Xiang also became interested in him after being persuaded by Zhou Yacong. Even after knowing that Hua Min and Chao Lanyu had feelings for each other, she still introduced Hua Min to him.
Before Yu Xiang was tricked into the inn by Zhou Yacong, Yi Huan had tried to persuade her and argued with her, but unexpectedly, the former suggested that Yi Huan go in her place.
Yi Huan held Yu Xiang's wrist tightly, and asked with disappointment mixed in his confession: "Xiang Niang, Zhou Yacong's intentions are not pure. Aren't you afraid that something bad will happen to me if I stay here?"
"I want to ask him in person what he means." Yu Xiang's face was full of panic and fear. She shook off her hand and said, "Huan Niang, I don't believe he would treat me like this. You wait here, I will be back."
She couldn't remember what Yi Huan said again. She only felt lonely when she touched the scar on her right arm, and she would think of Yu Xiang trampling on their friendship from time to time.
Yi Huan calmed his breathing and stopped shouting, then asked calmly, "I also want to forget these unhappiness in order to let myself go, but Yu Xiang, I'm the one who's hurt. When I see you, I think of how you betrayed me, and I can't forget it."
"What do I have to do to be forgiven?"
"I have answered this question before." Yi Huan answered her coldly. People who have drawn a knife want to get forgiveness from others in order to comfort themselves psychologically, but the hurt is like a healed scar, it exists there and someone has to remember it.
Yu Xiang laughed and cried, "I'm the one who made things difficult for you."
"Will you be sad if I'm gone?"
They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds, Yu Xiang staring at her without blinking: "The three of us agreed to be buried together. I was the first to betray you. You shouldn't blame me if I die alone."
Moreover, Yu Xiang is not satisfied with her current life. She doesn't know whether to live or not, and she doesn't want to live anymore.
It would be better to use this life to repay what she owes Yi Huan. That way, when she dies, she will feel a little comforted, knowing that this miserable and worthless life has played some role.
"Huan Niang, you said you would never be controlled by anyone again." A hint of cruelty and unrestrainedness flashed across the face that was being pressed down. Yu Xiang's eyes were filled with the courage and relief of a desperate gamble. She spread her hands on both sides of her cheeks and said loudly: "Huan Niang! In the next life, you betray me once, and in the life after that, we will be even and we will be sworn sisters again!"
"Yi Huan, turn around and run forward to find Chao Lanyu!"
To get out of trouble and live the free and happy life you once told me about.
"Yu Xiang! What do you want to do..."
Yi Huan's legs, which were moving forward in a hurry, suddenly froze in place. He stared at her and watched her fall to the ground with a loud bang after giving up all her life. What appeared in his eyes was the despair of her committing suicide with a smile.
The blood spurting out of Yu Xiang's neck seemed to splash onto her face and eyeballs from such a long distance, burning her skin with pain. Her brain fell into an inexplicable blank, and the sound of empty vibrations echoed, strangling her throat and making her speechless.
After waiting quietly for half a minute, Yi Huan took a deep breath and walked towards her body step by step in shock and tears.
At a distance of a hand, Peng Zuo'an's previous anger had dissipated: "Yi Huan, follow me back to the mansion." Her sadness spread strongly. Peng Zuo'an moved her fingers, and the words in her mouth were no longer so tough.
Tears flowed down her face unconsciously, and Yi Huan pleaded fragilely and sadly: "Can I bury Yu Xiang? I, she...she is..."
“…I’ll give you one hour.”
Yi Huan knelt in front of Yu Xiang and reached out to hug her. He raised and lowered her twice but failed to lift her up. She tore off her outer robe and put her hair behind her neck. She tried to lift her hands but failed.
After wiping his hands clean and brushing her hair, Yi Huan whispered, "You died just like that. I told you to leave but you refused, and now you're dead in a foreign land. I can't bring you back, and you're satisfied."
"You're the prettiest, but I'm not a funeral director."
The outer robe was wrapped around her still bleeding neck, and Yi Huan roughly wiped her cheeks, making her clean after death.
There was really no strength in his body that he could lift, so Yi Huan stretched out his hand and looked up, "This person." Chang Yi glanced down and took a step back calmly, avoiding the hand with blood on the corner of his clothes.
"Please help me dig a grave."
Peng Zuoyang agreed with a "hmm", and Chang Yi immediately dismounted. A dozen cavalrymen quickly dug out a square pit.
Before piling up the yellow earth for the grave, Yi Huan pulled out the silver hairpin from Yu Xiang's hair and stood silently by the side watching them pile the earth towards the center.
Xiangniang, the hurt is a lifelong thing.
In fact, that feeling has faded. The only thing Yi Huan can remember is that Yu Xiang left her there alone, and she and Hua Min were facing each other with blood on their bodies. She has no right to forgive her at that time.
She must remember this clearly and break off completely with Yu Xiang.
Yi Huan just wanted to stay away from her and never thought that Yu Xiang would die. The memories of growing up together came to her mind. She didn't say a word, but stood there pinching her arms, with an expression on her face that was difficult to control.
This was the second time Peng Zuoyuan saw her so sad.
The first time was when they first met. He killed He Fei with his own hands, and now her friend was also forced to death by him.
It's hard to describe how he felt. Peng Zuoyuan felt that it had nothing to do with the incident. It was Yi Huan who tried to escape, and Yu Xiang's death was an accident. If they had just been concubines and maids, there would have been no bloodshed.
On the way back, she took a last glance at the distant mountains behind her. Peng Zuoyan tightened his arm around her waist. There was still a problem with Yi Huan that had not been solved.
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