Chapter 80 Extra: The Three Remain the Same
When he woke up again, Qi Lingjun instinctively hugged the person in his arms, but his arms were empty. He was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat, sat up abruptly, and walked outside barefoot.
Outside lay the scene of the Jiang residence, with its smooth bluestone and rare plants, which made Qi Lingjun feel somewhat dazed for a moment.
Fortunately, Zuo Qinghou was roasting chestnuts at the stone table in the courtyard. Qi Lingjun's anxiety suddenly dissipated. He took a few steps forward and sat opposite her, took the small tongs and turned the chestnuts for her, and said, "We're not dead?"
"It's also possible they're all dead," Zuo Qinghou said nonchalantly, carefully peeling the chestnuts.
Having not seen Zuo Qinghou for over a decade, Qi Lingjun paid no attention to Zuo Qinghou's words; his gaze was fixed on her face, as if he could never get enough of looking at her.
Zuo Qinghou threw two handkerchiefs at him to step on, saying, "You've really changed lately, you don't care about the etiquette of a proper gentleman anymore."
"Etiquette is for outsiders, not for you," Qi Lingjun said nonchalantly. After a moment of silence, he added, "Now that we've finished our business, shall we go somewhere better to have some fun?"
The speaker spoke casually, but was so nervous that he forgot to turn the chestnuts over.
After a short wait, "I've been working so hard, it's time to relax."
Before Qi Lingjun could finish his question, shrouded in shadow, he was pulled into a warm embrace. "It's all over now, don't hold back."
Schemes, assassinations, cold stares, killings... he limped through them all, but... but... he struggled to see her one last time in the snowy night, and those last few dozen feet to find her were especially difficult for him with his limp.
In his eyes, Zuo Qinghou was the best, and even the slightest imperfection in him made him afraid to get close.
When acting out the scene where he was driven away out of jealousy, Qi Lingjun didn't need to act at all. Zuo Qinghou would sleep with any man she wanted to use, but she wouldn't sleep with him. He only wanted to be a male concubine, even though he knew far more private things than anyone else, he never expected her to treat him differently.
Jealousy and resentment kept Qi Lingjun from getting out of character for a long time. He wished that he, like Zhu Huantang, was just a tool that Zuo Qinghou liked.
But at this moment, all the hardships of the past were magnified, and they all welled up in her eyes. Tears silently soaked Zuo Qinghou's clothes. She stroked his hair gently and stayed by his side.
The wind picked up, and many leaves were blown off the trees, fluttering down to the ground and onto their shoulders.
The iron chains on the underground palace melted and crashed down on Qi Lingjun. Then, with a loud "boom," the entire stone pillar collapsed, smashing the two corpses he was holding. The one in his arms was completely shattered, as if something had vanished with the heat wave.
This was the only dream Zuo Qinghou created for Qi Lingjun. She didn't often use those witchcrafts, but she felt that this one was truly being used for the right purpose.
Zuo Qinghou knew that Qi Lingjun would definitely come to find her; it wasn't a guess, it was certain. She knew him too well, and perhaps because she knew him too well, she tried her best to push him away.
He can leverage her influence, but he can't get involved in her affairs.
Such a good person shouldn't be dragged into this mess with someone who's already had enough of life.
He is talented and ambitious, so he should make his mark in the court; he is well-mannered and cultured, so the people around him should be kind and gentle; he is good-looking and comes from a good family, so whether he makes friends or marries, he should not be with someone as infamous as her.
Fortunately, she lived long enough that these trivial matters of love and romance were nothing compared to her messy affairs, and she didn't even feel sad for half a day.
When Zuo Qinghou went to see Fan Wubai, he brought up all those trivial matters. When he mentioned Qi Lingjun, Fan Wubai exclaimed, "Talented, handsome, loyal, and polite, I would be tempted to let him go."
Zuo Qinghou said, "If you can speak like a human being, and you both have the surname Fan, how come you and scum like Fan Qi are so different?"
"So many people with the same name must be related, what bad luck." Fan Wubai, a carefree person, hated people like Fan Qi who were scheming and calculating. Back then, he was only willing to take Zuo Qinghou as his disciple because he thought she had fallen off a cliff and died. He wanted to take her back to bury her, and that's how their relationship started in a daze.
"You've left all the gold here, aren't you afraid they'll object when you take it?" Fan Wubai asked.
“If they don’t comply, kill them,” Zuo Qinghou said calmly amidst Fan Wubai’s shocked and angry expression. “Master, I am the same as those who drove you away, and so are all the people in the world. When one or two come, it’s like ‘friends coming from afar’; when tens of thousands come, it’s like ‘those who are not of our kind are sure to have different hearts’.”
"So, Master, you let them send the gold out with the army, blending in with the crowd. People are all the same everywhere, and they can live in the sunlight again. Isn't that wonderful?" Zuo Qinghou smiled brightly, as if she herself hadn't just said she was the one who killed them.
Fan Wubai didn't say anything more. Compared to those who were ruthless and merciless, Zuo Qinghou's actions were already considered merciful.
As he emerged from among the soldiers carrying supplies, Fan Wubai, usually calm and collected, felt a surge of nervousness. It wasn't fear of being discovered, for even if he were, no one would say a word. Looking at the almost drastically changed landscape outside, he suddenly felt a longing for the land without the blooming flowers described by Zuo Qinghou.
That kind of country must be very beautiful.
The sound of the wonton vendor's clatter echoed through the streets in the early morning, and the morning sun, as always, warmed Cui Jiu's heart. He was currently on duty at the Imperial City Guard, catching criminals, and his days were leisurely.
His soldiers bowed respectfully to him, but Cui Jiu waved his hand to dismiss their bows: "Just do your duty and don't bother with these things."
From a beggar to someone who now has enough to eat and wear, Cui Jiu is content. His only obsession is…
It was the promise that Zuo Qinghou had made to him to eat wontons together.
The fire burned everything to the ground; the noble families, the rules, and the beautiful flowers were all gone. The palace's contents were used to reward the army, and the remaining palaces collapsed due to the collapse of the underground palace.
The area has now been turned into a night market, and the people there still live and work in peace and contentment.
Although he knew that Zuo Qinghou had broken his promise, he would still buy three bowls of wontons every morning. He would eat two bowls himself and leave one bowl there for later.
Most of the time, Cui Jiu would bring out the third bowl to eat as well.
Today, the sound of horses' hooves gradually became clearer from the East Gate. Facing the rising sun, Cui Jiu squinted and could only see a silhouette enveloped in light.
Unable to see clearly, Cui Jiu didn't force himself to. He turned back and added a large spoonful of chili peppers to the soup.
Chili oil spilled on the table. Cui Jiu called out, "Boss! Bring me a rag, my hand was shaking."
The sounds of a rag and horses' hooves lingered nearby. The woman dismounted, revealing a silk robe worn over a coarse linen garment—a style she'd retained since childhood, a style honed through a life of luxury. She sat down opposite Cui Jiu, lifting her robe slightly, and smiled, "Waiting for someone?"
Before Cui Jiu could answer, Nan Jinping was about to order another bowl of wontons from the owner.
Cui Jiu pushed the bowl in front of her and said, "I didn't touch it, it's for you to eat."
“I thought you were waiting for someone…” Nan Jinping’s gaze fell on the chili peppers in the bowl, and she understood. “The chili peppers in Sichuan are quite good. I fell in love with them after living there for a few years. The spicy rabbit there is also delicious. Many of my colleagues who work in water conservancy rush to grab it as soon as they finish work. The local people are used to it and don’t fight with us for it. We always have enough every time we go.”
Prosperous areas have plenty of snacks, while remote areas have no shortage of wine and meat.
Cui Jiu put down the silver and said, "I'm off to my duty. See you later!"
"See you later!"
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