I'll stay by your side for the rest of my life
The clouds and mist in front of them dispersed, and a child of about five or six years old appeared out of nowhere, grabbed Wen Zhibai's hand, and looked up at her with a clear, cheerful voice, "Auntie!"
She was caught off guard and startled by this unexpected address.
The boy in front of me had round, bright eyes and a carefree smile: "I am Mingzhi, Jiang Mingzhi."
"Jiang, Ming, Zhi," Wen Zhibai turned to look at Pei Qinzhou. Seeing him nod, he followed Jiang Mingzhi toward the door, where they were only a threshold away.
Inside the door, a face that was strikingly similar to her mother Jiang Xuwan, yet possessed a completely different temperament, came into view—it was Jiang Yu, the former head of Wuyu Pavilion and her aunt.
Wen Zhibai's heart tightened.
"Have you thought it through?" Jiang Yu's voice was colder than her gaze. "Once you cross this threshold, your fate will be intertwined with the Jiang family's, and there will be no turning back. You can't leave, and you can't escape." She glanced at Jiang Mingzhi, and the little guy reluctantly let go of her hand.
However, the moment he let go, Wen Zhibai grabbed her hand even tighter, pulled her along, and stepped across the threshold that symbolized the boundary.
“I am not only Wen Zhibai, but also a part of my mother.” Without hesitation, she grasped Jiang Mingzhi’s hand again the moment he let go, and stepped across the threshold together.
So, it's time to go home.
She returned home with the portion of the Jiang family's knowledge that her mother had given her.
"Auntie! I've finally met you!" Jiang Mingzhi cheered and rushed into her arms, hugging her legs tightly with his little hands.
"Zhibai, welcome home." The elder brother, Jiang Zi'ang, stepped forward, his voice gentle. Then, his sister-in-law, cousin Jiang Youyou, and other peers also came forward, their smiles sincere.
Except for Jiang Yu, who had already turned and headed towards the inner courtyard.
As Wen Zhibai gazed at that resolute figure's retreating back, the tears she had been holding back finally welled up in her eyes. She turned around and looked at Pei Qinzhou, who remained standing silently in place.
He stood quietly in place, without moving an inch.
"Pei Qinzhou." She knew he couldn't hear her, but she still called out to him and stretched out her palm at the same time.
Pei Qinzhou strode forward and gently placed his warm hand on hers.
The two exchanged a smile, a silent understanding flowing between them.
Upon seeing this, the members of the Jiang clan were all taken aback, and then bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Lord Ling."
"Lingjun?" Wen Zhibai looked at the person beside him in confusion.
Pei Qinzhou tightened his grip on her hand: "I'll explain in detail to you later."
Jiang Mingzhi then squeezed in and coquettishly took Wen Zhibai's other hand. Jiang Ziang quickly said, "Mingzhi, you can't keep bothering your aunt."
"No! My aunt is pretty, so I want to stick to her!" the little guy said confidently.
Wen Zhibai chuckled, squatted down and gently pinched his soft cheek: "Okay, our Mingzhi is cute too."
Jiang Mingzhi immediately gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, making everyone laugh.
Seeing Pei Qinzhou's slightly somber expression, Jiang Youyou suppressed a laugh and stepped forward to pick up the little guy: "Mingzhi, your aunt has had a long journey, let her rest first. Your aunt will take you to the small kitchen to find something delicious, okay?"
“Zhibai,” her sister-in-law stepped forward, her voice gentle, “Mother knew you were coming back, so we prepared some gifts. We’ll give them to you later and see if you like them.”
"Thank you, brother and sister-in-law, thank you everyone." Wen Zhibai gently embraced her sister-in-law, and a few suppressed sobs echoed around them. In this scene, her heart, which had wandered through two lifetimes, finally found its home.
With an hour to go before the banquet, Wen Zhibai and Pei Qinzhou went back to their rooms to settle in and rest.
“Pei Qinzhou…” She raised her tear-filled eyes and said to him, “I…have…found…home.”
Before she finished speaking, she threw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, her tears silently soaking his clothes.
Pei Qinzhou couldn't hear her cries, only felt the slight trembling of the body in his arms. He stroked her long hair gently.
But she failed to see the unfathomable loneliness and moisture in his eyes.
...
Dinner
Jiang Yu sat upright in the main seat, her expression still indifferent. Wen Zhibai and Pei Qinzhou sat to her left. Everyone at the table raised their glasses to Wen Zhibai, but Jiang Yu remained unmoved.
Wen Zhibai pursed his lips, picked up the first glass of wine, and stood up to toast Jiang Yu: "Aunt, thank you for allowing me to return home. This glass of wine is for you."
“You are Jiang Xuwan’s child, so it’s understandable that you return to the Jiang family. However, I don’t drink.” Jiang Yu didn’t even lift her eyelids.
“It’s alright,” Wen Zhibai said, his fingers tightening slightly as he downed the wine in his glass in one gulp. “I’ll toast you.”
Jiang Youyou quickly picked up a piece of braised pork and went around to Wen Zhibai's side. "Come on—open your mouth, I'll feed you! I made this myself, and my aunt praised me for making it well."
Jiang Ziang nudged Jiang Mingzhi: "Mingzhi, didn't you say you liked your aunt? Hurry up and bring this plate of fruit over."
“Okay!” Jiang Mingzhi ran to Wen Zhibai’s side and was picked up by her and sat on her lap.
“Mingzhi is so good~” Wen Zhibai teased him with a smile.
Jiang Youyou deliberately pouted: "Oh dear, Mingzhi, now that you have a little aunt, you've forgotten about your big aunt, haven't you?"
"Auntie, I'm still angry because you broke my kite a few days ago!"
“My aunt broke my kite the day before yesterday!” Jiang Mingzhi pouted.
"You heartless little brat!" Jiang Youyou said, rolling up her sleeves, and Jiang Mingzhi ran away in a flash.
Amidst laughter, Wen Zhibai quietly moved her chair next to Pei Qinzhou, took his hand under the table, and placed some food in his bowl.
Pei Qinzhou raised his wine cup, forcing a bitter smile: "Zhibai, I hope you are happy."
She met his gaze: "Not just me, Pei Qinzhou, I want to grow old with you."
He tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass. Perhaps the wine was too strong, because it made his eyes red.
When the banquet ended, everyone was slightly tipsy, except for Jiang Yu, who had left early, and Pei Qinzhou, who remained sober throughout. The youngest, Jiang Mingzhi, had already been coaxed to sleep.
Pei Qinzhou picked up the slightly tipsy Wen Zhibai and carried her steadily down the corridor.
"You drank so much, how come you're not drunk at all..." She pressed her cheek against his warm chest, her arms naturally encircling his neck, murmuring drunkenly, "Pei... I want to know, how long have you waited for me... When I wasn't around, how did you get through those cold winters, without a home, without family or friends, how did you get through it all..."
"I saw... the jasmine you placed at my grave." Her voice choked with emotion, tears soaking his clothes. "This time... I will hold you tight... I will never let go..."
Unfortunately, he couldn't hear a single one of those drunken ramblings, stained with tears.
Pei Qinzhou gently placed her on the bed, carefully tucking her in, then sat by the bedside, gazing at her sleeping face, his voice as soft as a sigh:
"If I could, I would want to stay by your side like this for the rest of my life."
Royal Palace
The emperor's health has been deteriorating lately, and the imperial physician only left the palace half an incense stick's time ago.
He had just woken up when he had Wang Shuhuai present Gao Zhongyi's secret memorial. The four characters "method of immortality" were prominently displayed on it.
"Hmph, it seems that using the Qin family to warn Gao Zhongyi last time worked. The secret to immortality that he has been searching for for more than ten years has been found by Prime Minister Gao." The emperor was still weak, but a hint of joy could be heard in his tone.
Wang Shuhuai knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty's blessings are boundless!"
"Wang Shuhuai, do you know what the method of immortality that Prime Minister Gao mentioned is...? That old fox actually wants me to mobilize the Spirit Binding Division." The Emperor placed one hand on his knee and threw the memorial on the ground with the other: "Gao Zheli has been scared mad, turned into a fool, and wants the Spirit Binding Division to come out of the mountains to capture demons. Tell me, should I believe him? Should I let Prime Minister Gao cooperate with the Spirit Binding Division?"
"This servant is foolish; everything should be decided by Your Majesty."
"Cough cough cough—" He started coughing again, even coughing up blood. His eyes were bloodshot. When Wang Shuhuai helped him up, his eyes were filled with obsession and desire for immortality.
As an emperor, he knew the secrets of the dragon and the Jiang family. Unfortunately, the Jiang family had long since retired from the court and no one knew where they lived now, and the dragon was nowhere to be found.
Wang Shuhuai hurriedly ordered someone to bring over the medicinal soup, but the emperor slapped it away, smashing the bowl to pieces: "I've been drinking this for six years, yet I haven't gotten any better! What's the use of drinking this medicine? What's the use of the Imperial Medical Academy!"
Everyone in the bedchamber immediately knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger!!"
"Wang Shuhuai, go! Convey my decree: those quack doctors responsible for my medical examinations shall all be executed!"
"Your Majesty, you mustn't!" Wang Shuhuai kowtowed. "The Imperial Medical Academy is well aware of Your Majesty's health. If... if no one takes care of you, how can Your Majesty's health continue?"
"Are you saying that I can't live without them?!"
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! This servant had no such intention!"
"You—" Before he could finish speaking, the emperor was so angry that he fainted again.
"Summon the imperial physician immediately!" Wang Shuhuai cried out, his palms drenched in cold sweat. His Majesty's temperament is becoming increasingly violent; if this continues, he might do something unspeakable.
...
In the Eastern Palace, the Empress, accompanied by a line of women, walked past Xia Chengen.
Xia Chengen sat to the side, absentmindedly stroking the wolf tooth that Qi Yuning had given him last time. The Empress picked out the one she was most satisfied with and called it forward to ask Xia Chengen's opinion, but he kept shaking his head.
“Chengen, there is no perfect person in this world. You are the Crown Prince and you need to plan for your future. Whether you like her or not is not important.” As she spoke, the Empress pulled the woman to him and said, “This is Prime Minister Xu’s daughter. Take a look.” The Empress then whispered in Xia Chengen’s ear, “Your father also intends to make her your Crown Princess.”
Xia Chengen concealed the wolf fang necklace in his sleeve: "Is that so..."
Only then did he raise his eyes to look at Miss Xu, and did not refuse.
He is the crown prince, and perhaps he should do as Qi Yuning said and choose a virtuous woman to keep by his side.
"Your subject will consider this carefully." He stood up, his voice devoid of emotion. "Your subject is a little tired, so I will take my leave now."
Since that day they parted, Qi Yuning had disappeared without a trace. Yet, in the dead of night, he would dream of that red figure carrying him out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood amidst the wind and snow of Liangchuan.
He couldn't see his own heart clearly. Perhaps Qi Yuning was right; they had only met a few times, how could he possibly like someone? He had been too hasty.
According to the information Guangxi brought, Qi Yuning made a bet with her brother that if she could win the military competition a month later, she would be allowed to join the army.
As Xia Chengen's fingertips lightly brushed against the hard wolf fangs hidden in his sleeve, a deep, calculating glint flashed in his eyes.
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