persistence
A month later.
Located east of the Imperial City, the Dingbei Marquisate occupies a vast site, interconnected by symmetrical verandas, forming a series of quadrangles. Its overall layout is orderly and elegant, with pavilions, terraces, and towers adorned with eaves and green tiles, creating a refined yet majestic atmosphere.
The main courtyard, adorned with orchids, was arranged into four sections. Behind a carved archway lay a flowerbed filled with orchids, and inside lay the main house. A maid in a blue silk dress stood outside the gate, holding clothes and jewelry, her head bowed, not daring to breathe.
Inside the main gate, there were constant crisp sounds of objects breaking. The head maid Yunyan stamped her feet anxiously, but she did not dare to interrupt the person who was venting his anger at this time.
"What's wrong?" A middle-aged woman walked in quickly and asked in a low voice.
"That..." Yunyan stammered, not knowing what to call her appropriately. "That girl, she just washed herself up and saw her face in the mirror. She chased us out and even... broke all the mirrors in the room."
The middle-aged woman's face froze. This girl had been bedridden since she was brought back by the Marquis a month ago. She had finally been able to get out of bed these past two days, and the Marquis had happily given her a bunch of expensive clothes. Unexpectedly, problems arose just at the beginning.
"Steward Cui, what should we do?" The Marquis was still waiting to dine with the young lady. Yunyan glanced anxiously at the quiet room that had returned to normal.
"Let me go in and take a look." Steward Cui knew how much his master valued that person, so he didn't dare to be careless. Just as he was about to open the door, he saw Luo Ziran walking quickly into the courtyard. Steward Cui hurriedly led his men to greet him with a salute.
"Is she... okay?" Luo Ziran asked in a low voice, looking at the closed door.
Yunyan glanced at Manager Cui, then lowered her head and recounted the girl's situation.
When Luo Ziran heard that she had smashed all the mirrors, his brows darkened, but he felt a hint of joy in his heart. He waved his hand to dismiss them, gently pushed open the door, and walked in.
The morning after the snow was bright and clear, with specks of sunlight filtering through the carved window frames, making the large room appear airy and elegant. Three landscape scrolls by famous artists hung on the wall. In a corner, a purple jade incense burner sat quietly on a wide sandalwood table, its gentle, soothing aroma wafting upwards, lingering on the strings of a nearby guqin.
A silk curtain was hung beside the broad agarwood bed, with the half-hanging gauze swaying slightly. The bed was empty, and the diamond-shaped bronze mirror on the dressing table was discarded in a messy jewelry box.
The broken mercury mirror on the ground at his feet reflected the corner of his clothes. Luo Ziran looked up and saw a person wrapped in a brocade quilt curled up on the couch on the other side of the room, with only a piece of black hair hanging outside.
"Get out..." A cold voice came from inside the quilt, with a hint of resistance.
Luo Ziran paused, then walked to the bedside and gently reached out to hug the quilt. The person inside the quilt shuddered and struggled to get free. Luo Ziran's eyes dimmed as he asked softly, "Nan'er, are you unhappy?"
There was a pause, and then someone in the group replied calmly, "Should I be happy?"
The brocade quilt slowly slid away, revealing the face of the person within. Her long black hair flowed softly over her shoulders, and her unpainted face held a sickly paleness that couldn't hide the indifferent refinement of her features. Her large, round eyes, half-joyed and half-happy, were filled with a lingering mist. Her delicate fingertips gently touched her face, and she spoke softly, pained, "When I see this face, I remember... it was me who harmed her after all."
Luo Ziran's heart trembled, and despite her resistance, he wanted to hug her in his arms, "No, she came for you. Without you, she is just a ghost. Nan'er, only you are the most important..."
"Let me go!" The person in her arms suddenly struggled, self-loathing evident between her brows. She rolled over and slumped over the quilt, turning her head away and whispering, "Now, I can't even say for sure who I am, let alone face this body..."
She stretched out her hand in front of her eyes with trembling hands. Her fingers were white and slender, but her palms were not tender. There was a thin layer of calluses on them, which were caused by hard work.
Luo Ziran felt a pang of pain in his eyes, and he slowly curled his long fingers into a fist, placing them on the couch with a trembling hand. His Nan'er had been spoiled since she was little, never even touching hot water. How could her hands ever be so rough?
After staring at her quietly for a long while, Luo Ziran whispered, "Nan'er, do you know? I've been thinking about this scene every day for the past four years. You were by my side, angry with me, or quietly reading a book... Do you know how long I've waited for this moment?"
No matter how many people oppose and try to stop him, or even use other people's corpses to pave this road that no one has ever walked on, he has no regrets and only hopes that the cold and pure person will look back at him again.
"She came for you, and now she has simply completed her mission." His long fingers gently lifted a strand of her long hair. Her hair was jet black, unlike his wife's soft amber hair, but Luo Ziran's eyes were filled with joy and fascination. "Nan'er, she wasn't originally from this world. Perhaps she has simply returned to where she came from. Now that you're back, let's start over... okay?"
Her body paused, and the girl slowly turned her head, tears sliding down her snow-white cheeks, "But I am already Aruo... Am I still Shen Nan now?"
Her eyes were as clear and cold as water, yet a hint of sadness lingered beneath them. Although her body and appearance were unfamiliar, her gaze was a familiar shadow to him.
"No, Nan'er." Luo Ziran gently touched the tears on her cheek with his fingertips. "After some time, I will petition the Emperor to return to Liangzhou, to our home. Once you get there, you'll get used to it."
Liangzhou is his home, where there is the best disguise artist who can restore this face to Nan'er's face, so that all traces of the girl's existence will be erased.
He and Nan'er will have a new future.
Aruo's pupils trembled slightly, and she turned her head away to avoid his hand. "Just let me be in peace... The price of all this is too high. She is my most beloved sister, Brother Achu, how could we treat her like this..."
Luo Ziran froze, unable to refute her words. He should have known that his Nan'er had always been aloof, kind yet indifferent, but he treated that girl with such care that she was his treasure.
His gaze fell upon the mirror on the ground, reflecting the girl behind him. Aside from the expression between her brows, she seemed completely unfamiliar to him. Yet, this unfamiliarity was the only thing he could grasp. Luo Ziran closed his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "Mother doesn't know about these things. She just thought Aruo had come... and wanted to see... Aruo."
The round black eyes suddenly darkened, and Aruo buried his head in the quilt, "I don't want to see her."
The refusal was still decisive.
Luo Ziran smiled helplessly, "If you don't want to see me, then don't see me. Your injury has just healed, and taking care of your health is the most important thing."
His mother had always been prejudiced against Nan'er because of her frail health. Furthermore, since they had been married for two years and had no children, meetings between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law usually ended on bad terms. With his mother's pride and Nan'er's coldness, neither of them was willing to yield, leaving Luo Ziran caught in the middle, often in a difficult position.
Fortunately, during the first two years of their marriage, they had Aruo, a cheerful, sweet-tongued woman who loved to coax people. Because of Aruo, the old lady didn't criticize Nan'er too harshly. Later, in order to refine the soul-calling banner, he married Qiao. His mother didn't understand why, and when she saw that Chen Nan had a cold war with him because of this, she finally let go of her prejudice after she became pregnant.
When Shen Nan passed away, his mother was deeply saddened and had been in poor health ever since. It was only after hearing that Aruo had arrived at the Marquis's residence that she wanted to see him. However, his mother was familiar with both Nan'er and Aruo, so meeting them would only cause trouble.
"By the way, Brother Achu, I heard from Yunyan that someone has been wanting to see me recently? Is it... Aruo's friend?" Aruo's clear black eyes were calm as she looked back at him quietly, as if just giving him a reminder.
"Don't worry about it. Just focus on recuperating. I'll send these people away." He didn't want anyone in front of him to have any contact with anything related to Aruo. Luo Ziran gently combed her hair, letting the strands entwine tightly around his fingertips, a hint of murderous intent brewing in his downcast eyes.
"Don't hurt them..." A small hand reached out from the group and gently tugged at the corner of his clothes. Before his murderous intent became more obvious, Aruo said softly, "I owe her... I've already paid it back, so why add to the debt?"
Luo Ziran paused, then smiled gently, "Listen to Nan'er."
As long as those people stopped having other fantasies, he would naturally stop getting entangled with them. Gazing at the gentle sunlight on the window sill outside his couch, Luo Ziran secretly pondered the timing of resigning from the emperor and returning to Liangzhou.
The longer the night, the more dreams there are. He would not allow others to covet the treasure that he had finally recovered.
Seeing that the room was quiet, Yunyan waved her hand and quietly left with her people.
"Sister Yunyan," the little girl from the kitchen saw her and skipped over briskly, "Do you still need to boil the medicine for the young lady?"
She has been making medicine almost all this month, and now there are two packets left, but judging from the girl's expression, it doesn't seem like she needs them much.
"Don't endure it for now. Let's wait until Doctor Guan examines the girl and then see if there is a new prescription." Yunyan estimated the time. The girl's condition was better and she didn't cry out in pain recently. The prescription probably needed to be changed.
"Oh..." The little girl watched them leave in disappointment, muttering regretfully, "Then I won't be able to earn enough money to buy the old man's medicine. Oh, forget it, I'll just go make some candy cakes."
Thinking of the sweet taste, the little girl became happy again and skipped towards the small kitchen.
Inside the Qinzheng Hall, the air was like a taut bowstring, tense and dangerous.
A memorial was spread out on the imperial desk, detailing everything from the theft of government silver to the misappropriation of military funds for lending, including the figures listed for each household. Emperor Huiqing's face was heavy, and he read every word without even glancing at them.
Eunuch Li, the head eunuch, lightly put down the replaced tea, and the white porcelain teacup with dragon pattern knocked lightly against the imperial table, making a sound that was neither light nor heavy.
After a long while, Emperor Huiqing's voice finally rang out from within the palace. "According to Su Qing, how should this matter be handled?"
"Your Majesty has placed me in charge of the Da Qi prison system. I must act according to the law. Only by eradicating all evil can the good be rewarded and the evil punished." Su Zirui knelt and spoke frankly, "Da Qi is your Majesty's Da Qi. I only hope that Your Majesty will bring justice to the soldiers who protected Da Qi."
Su Zirui knew very well that it was one thing for Emperor Huiqing to ask him to investigate everything, but there were too many people involved in these related cases, including some important officials of the Great Qi Dynasty. The relationships among them were complicated and could not be dealt with by simply punishing or dismissing them.
What's more, the military pay embezzled by Luo Yin created a huge fortune, and Luo Ziran made a prompt decision to hand it over almost all of it, enriching the treasury of Da Qi, which can be regarded as making up for Luo Yin's mistake.
The imperial court was supposed to govern the world through a balance of power. He had taken on this matter with a selfish motive to imprison Luo Ziran, but he also knew that such a move couldn't be achieved with just one piece of evidence. However, as long as the seeds planted were continuously watered and fertilized, they would eventually grow.
"Hmm..." Emperor Huiqing pondered for a moment before saying calmly, "I know about this."
Su Zirui waited for a moment with an expressionless face. Without asking any other questions, he bowed and said, "Then... your humble servant..."
"Su Qing," Emperor Huiqing suddenly smiled and looked up at him. "Prime Minister Su complained to me not long ago that you are not young anymore but still have no intention of getting married. What are your thoughts?"
Su Zirui was stunned for a moment, then remained silent for a long moment. His brows and eyes, like falling frost, grew colder and colder. The dark glint in his eyes was fleeting, and he was rarely distracted in front of the emperor. Countless thoughts raced through his mind. After a moment, he half-closed his eyes and replied, "I recently received assistance from Master Huiming. He once said that my destined marriage... has not yet arrived."
Emperor Huiqing was clearly not expecting him to say this. He was stunned for a moment before he couldn't help but laugh. "Since Huiming said so, then we really shouldn't act hastily. Speaking of which, I've known your father since we were young, and now I have several grandchildren. It's no wonder he's anxious."
No, he's not in a hurry. Su Zirui raised an eyebrow. The old man was so busy digging holes during this period that he actually had time to complain to the emperor. It was obvious that there was not enough work.
"I heard from the Imperial Concubine that Ah Chu recently welcomed a distinguished guest into the Marquis's residence. I think good things are coming soon." Emperor Huiqing seemed to remember something, coughed lightly twice, and chatted with his favorite child with a smile. "You should hurry up too."
His originally cold brows froze in an instant, and Su Zirui said unmoved, "Then congratulations, my Lord."
In the cold winter, the charcoal fire in the palace seemed insufficient. Emperor Huiqing tightened his fur coat and, as if compromising, dropped the subject. "By the way, the draft criminal law you submitted earlier, which calls for beheading the perpetrators and exile or other punishment for the followers, isn't that excessive? Take, for example, the infant sacrifice incident in Niujiazhuang Village. Many of the village elders knew about it. If this law were truly followed, most of the villagers would be punished."
"Your Majesty, witchcraft has been prevalent since the previous dynasty and has been banned since the founding of the Great Qi. Emperor Taizu famously declared that anyone who practices it must be put to death, yet despite repeated bans over the past century, it persists. This is because the evil remains inexhaustible, allowing these practices to spread among the people and bring disaster to the world. Evil rumors can confuse the masses. If everyone attempts to defy heaven with their sorcery, public opinion will inevitably waver in the long run. Only by making public cases a warning, imposing severe penalties, and teaching a profound lesson to the world, can we truly achieve a deterrent effect."
Emperor Huiqing raised his eyebrows slightly at an angle where he couldn't see, with a hint of smile in his wise eyes. He looked at his handsome face, which was as cold as before, for a long time. He didn't say anything else, but just waved his hand to let him leave.
The Qinzheng Hall was quiet for a moment before Emperor Huiqing hummed softly and threw the memorial on the table away.
"Your Majesty, you are teasing Minister Su again." Eunuch Li replaced the cup of warm tea for him, gently put the memorial away, and then said softly.
"He's pretending. After he received a high-profile punishment, I was planning to let him go. I didn't agree to any of those who came to ask for marriage. I didn't expect that more than two months have passed and he still hasn't made any move... He can't wait until next year, right?" Emperor Huiqing was not so idle as to pay attention to the marriage affairs of his ministers. It was just a coincidence that these guys with different personalities got together.
It was less than ten days until the next year. Eunuch Li smiled but said nothing, just listening quietly. "Minister Su has always been opinionated. Perhaps he has this in mind."
Emperor Huiqing snorted, not knowing what he was thinking, and suddenly laughed, "Achu, that kid...after all, he's gone a little too far."
Eunuch Li didn't dare to respond and quickly lowered his head respectfully.
"Forget it, the one he's hiding... let the imperial concubine summon him into the palace to take a look." Emperor Huiqing closed his eyes, rubbed his brows, and murmured, "The Luo family... must be kept..."
Eunuch Li retreated with his head lowered and slightly tilted his head. The eunuch waiting outside the door hurried over.
Towering ancient trees line the Dazheng Temple of the Daqiguo Temple, and the Main Hall, nestled at the heart of the temple, is a magnificent sight. Inside, a massive golden Buddha statue stands atop a throne, gazing down benevolently upon all living beings.
The crimson figure stood as tall and straight as a pine tree, the rising green smoke slowly lingering around the ends of his hair, passing through his cold eyes filled with sarcasm.
"Lord Su."
Master Huiming, draped in a cassock, approached gracefully, his delicate face radiating a compassionate and kind heart. He examined the impassive man before him and smiled faintly, "My little friend... is he still alive?"
During the conversation, he was at ease and had a gentle smile, as if he was not the one who was kidnapped and almost tortured by the Su father and son a month ago.
"Master, you're joking. Master Yiyuan is currently in seclusion, so he must be in excellent health." Su Zirui's smile didn't reach his eyes. He looked at the monk in front of him coldly and suddenly asked, "I heard that Master and Mr. Shen were once close friends."
Master Huiming was not affected by the glare at all and smiled peacefully, "Another close friend of mine, Master Mingguang, once became a disciple of Qishan. However, that is all in the past."
"So, you knew the Shen family was committing such a wrongdoing, but you didn't stop them?" Su Zirui tilted his head, looking at the monk whose expression had darkened. "Just for your own selfish desires, you've implicated innocent people. The master has saved all living beings and accumulated countless merits, yet you privately commit such despicable acts? Is Buddhism some filthy place? Are all these people running here, burdened with sin?"
The sarcasm was completely undisguised. Master Huiming looked at the Buddha statue, which smiled at the world no matter who knelt and worshiped devoutly. He chanted a Buddhist mantra and was silent for a long time before saying softly, "The Shen family... has made great contributions to the country. Their family is proficient in the art of Qimen Dunjia and is also very skilled in the curses of previous dynasties. They founded the Great Qi at the cost of their family. Since then, it has been difficult to have children and their lifespans are short. Shen Nan is the last child of the Shen family... The extinction of the Shen family is a foregone conclusion... However, as a father, he could not abandon his own child, which led to his great mistake."
Whether it was Mingguang or Mr. Shen, they were just pitying the little girl who had been bearing all the sins of the Shen family since she was born.
Master Huiming sighed slightly. When he learned about this, the formation had already been completed. His close friend Mingguang and he had spent a great deal of effort to find the child. She accepted this more calmly than anyone else who knew about it, which led to their subsequent friendship.
"Calm? You are just using her kindness to cover up your sins." An indescribable heartache rolled in his heart, and Su Zirui felt angry for Aruo.
Who said she didn't care about herself? She worked so hard to live in this world, she had done more odd jobs than he had investigated, and she had made more friends than him... How could she not care? That was just the indifference these people forced on her! Everyone protected Shen Nan, but who spoke up for the innocent girl who was implicated?
Without Shen Nan, she could still live her life well. But because of these people's concern and pity for Shen Nan, she has nothing. Coming to this world, she has to face the future of sacrificing her body and soul to Shen Nan!
These people, under the banner of mercy, gnawed at Aruo's flesh and blood, and even tried to make her calm down.
"She's a spirit from beyond the realm of the living, Lord Su. Why are you so persistent?" Huiming sighed. Now that everything was done, the spirit not belonging to this world had vanished, his mistake in summoning her had been vindicated. Even though he wanted to help, even though he was entrusted with opening the formation, he still couldn't prevent this.
Isn’t this God’s will?
"Chen Nan doesn't want to live at all. It's you who are obsessed with him, not me." Su Zirui looked at him sharply.
How ironic, in the end, Shen Nan was the only one who protected her. For Aruo, Shen Nan made a four-year agreement, hoping that she would like this world in four years, and have people and things that care about her, so that she could feel stable in this world.
"Everything in the world is predestined. Everything is determined by cause and effect." A bystander sees more clearly. If it weren't for his persistence, how could the person in front of him have so many arrangements? Huiming looked at him kindly, with a clear and insightful look in his eyes.
Su Zirui lowered his eyes. "Master Yiyuan once said that everything in the world has a turning point. Before Shen Nan died, she said that her turning point was her concern. Master, do you know what concern is and what is the turning point?"
Huiming slowly leaned over and personally adjusted the wick of the eternal lamp on the table, shaking the extinguished light and lighting it up again.
"She is originally a soul from the outside world, with no connection to this world. Everything she encounters is just to prolong the life of others. Donor Shen made a four-year agreement and let her enter the world, hoping that she can have more involvement in this world and let her have concerns in her heart. The affection between people and the complex relationships are the foundation of human survival."
Suddenly, Su Zirui remembered what the girl had said: as long as there are still people who miss the deceased, then that person has not disappeared from the world. Her eyes were dim. She always easily blended into the crowd, but could turn away without any regrets. Even Cai Xin, who had followed her for four years, was just thinking about how to properly settle her.
You make me waver.
Is he...her concern?
"Amitabha..." Master Huiming saw that he looked dazed and soothed him softly, "Donor, wait patiently, and the flowers will eventually bloom."
Patience? Su Zirui's eyes flashed with sarcasm, and his heart felt desolate, empty and cold.
They all said that if she had him in her heart, the formation would not work. This was the only hope that Shen Nan had kept hidden for Aruo.
Did she ever have him in her heart?
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