When Xie Xuan received Wang San's letter, he was just coming out of the Hall of State Affairs. The sunlight was hazy, and the vast Shengjing Palace seemed like a majestic beast, lying dormant on the centuries-old, golden and magnificent city of Shengjing, overlooking all living beings under heaven, its golden light dazzling to the extreme.
He stood on the white jade steps, clutching the letter tightly in his hand, and ran down the city wall like a madman.
A strong wind blew, whipping his red robes into flight. He snatched a horse, nimbly mounted, and rode off toward the white jade imperial road.
The valiant cavalry general, who had just dismounted from the temple, saw the people emerging from the city gate and hurriedly called out, "My lord, my lord—"
The palace gates were wide open, and dazzling golden light shone on the majestic palace buildings. A long, lonely wind blew, gently drifting in the air, creating a desolate and ethereal atmosphere.
Xie Xuan stopped his horse with a sigh, and when he saw the person who had recklessly blocked his way, a flash of annoyance crossed his eyes.
"The Empress has passed away! Go and see her quickly!"
His expression remained calm, and he said in an unchanged tone, "People of Great Yan, if they die, they die."
Seeing his indifference, the young general stared intently at him and said in a deep voice, "Back then, the Empress was poisoned by an arrow for the sake of you, yet you heartlessly left Southern Yan, allowing her to be tormented in the palace by her family. Now that she is dead, you can remain indifferent. What a cruel heart you have."
Xie Xuan sneered, "Cui Yan, if you like her, go and take her like a man. Don't wait until someone dies and then come here in a helpless rage. I've been tolerant of you because of your brother. If you continue to be this stupid, I won't hesitate to finish you off for your brother."
The white light was lonely, a cold wind blew, and a blue bird flew overhead over the heavy and oppressive palace, emitting a piercing cry.
Cui Yan was so angry at his words that his face turned ashen. He suddenly shouted, "She shouldn't have saved you when the Great Jin invaded Southern Yan back then."
Those tumultuous memories suddenly flooded back like a tide, and the man's eyes were bloodshot. Back when the Great Jin Dynasty launched its northern expedition, he and Xie Xuan entered the Southern Yan together and were assassinated. It was that girl who was rowing the boat who saved them. Despite being so timid, she dared to hide them under the boat and even foolishly shielded him from arrows.
Later, she was to be sent to the palace to see Xie Xuan at the military camp, but he was so heartless that he refused to see her even once and left Nan Yan directly. This time when she entered Da Yan, she recognized them and begged Xie Xuan to take her away from Shengjing, but he still refused.
“If you had agreed to take her back to the Central Plains, she wouldn’t have died by hitting her head against the wall. Xie Xuan, you’re the one who killed her.”
Xie Xuan's eyes were calm and still as he said lightly, "I've only met her twice. Letting her live this time is a way of repaying the kindness of hiding her back then. She wants to die, what does it have to do with me?"
"She likes you, can't you tell?"
The shrill angry shout drew the attention of all the guards around them.
Xie Xuan's face turned cold, and he said in a gloomy tone, "How can you say you like someone you've only met twice? If you hadn't been so foolish as to stand up and plead for me, we wouldn't have had to expend so much manpower to hunt down Yuwen Qi. You ruined His Majesty's plans. Are you planning to go back and get killed?"
Upon hearing the mention of the Great Qi Emperor, Cui Yan's face paled in shock. Before he could say anything, Xie Xuan immediately ordered the attendants beside him to take him away.
"Keep an eye on him. If he does anything wrong, tie him up and send him back to Yandu."
"yes."
On February 25th, the day of the Great Cold, the magnificent Shengjing Palace was burned to the ground.
When Wang Wan arrived in Shengjing, it was already night. The entire capital was bustling with activity, and the cries of vendors hawking their wares filled the docks.
She disembarked from the boat wearing a thick fox fur coat, her slender hands clutching her bundle tightly, her curious eyes taking in the lively scene around her.
The fatigue from days of boating left her feeling unwell; she was out of breath after just a few steps. Before she even left the dock, she saw that the entire exit was heavily guarded, with a dense mass of heavily armed armored men surrounding the city gate, conducting extremely thorough checks.
She frowned slightly and walked towards the bustling crowd.
A group of people stood at the Shengjing ferry. Xie Xuan, riding a horse, looked at each person coming down from the dock. His face was as cold and hard as a sharp blade. The moonlight slanted, his clothes fluttered, and the long wind blew his sleeves, making him look like a giant eagle spreading its wings.
The bright firelight illuminated the entire sky of Shengjing. At the ferry crossing, soldiers with swords were checking each ship one by one. Waves came from all directions, and the sounds of unloading cargo, anchoring, and pulling ships up echoed on the dock.
Wang Wan watched as dozens of giant ships set sail behind her, their masts billowing white sails as they disappeared into the distance. She breathed a sigh of relief and continued walking forward.
A gentle breeze ripples across the clear lake, and the water plants along the riverbank rustle softly.
From afar, Xie Xuan's gaze was fixed on the girl walking on the wide bluestone road in the crowd. She was wearing a red fox fur coat, and her figure was tall and slender. The moonlight shone on her beautiful face, making her pale face appear more hazy.
His dark eyes narrowed instantly, and he immediately ordered them to pass, then swiftly rode his horse towards the girl.
The moonlight enveloped the entire dock, and the night wind was a bit strong. Wang Wan couldn't see what was happening ahead. She was thinking of leaving the dock to find an inn on Central Street and then slowly looking for the person when the person she had been thinking about day and night suddenly appeared in front of her.
A short, startled cry rang out as her waist was suddenly lifted up, spun around, and she was hoisted onto the horse.
"If you miss me that much, why did you dare to come to Shengjing alone?"
A warm breath came from behind her, and her heart skipped a beat. She quickly turned around, saw his features clearly, and her eyes suddenly lit up.
How did you know I was here?
Xie Xuan looked into her bright, watery eyes, lifted her up, turned her to face him, and leaned down to kiss her lips.
Wang Wan blushed and wrapped her arms around his waist, letting him take what he wanted.
The moonlight was hazy and indistinct, and the crabapple blossoms on both banks were in full bloom. As the wind blew, the petals floated on their robes, as if they were stained with rouge, a luxurious sight.
His hands were tightly wrapped around her slender body. Even through her clothes, he could feel how thin and frail she was, her bones skeletal.
His eyes darkened as he traced her back down. Her slender waist was so thin, barely a handful, and she looked like a tiny bundle nestled in his arms.
A strong wind blew up, and he took off his cloak and wrapped it around her, then lifted her face and stared directly into her eyes and brows.
Wang Wan shuddered subconsciously and blinked when he stared at her so sharply.
"What's wrong?"
Xie Xuan didn't speak, but carefully examined her.
She licked her lips, reached out her small hand and tugged at his robe, shaking it gently a few times.
"Aren't you happy that I've come to Shengjing?"
"You're so weak, yet you keep running around." He frowned slightly. "You've gotten so thin in just over a year."
Wang Wan remembered the medicine she had taken, her eyes dimmed slightly, she buried her head in his chest and spoke softly.
"Don't be mean, I just missed you."
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