He Yue stood in front of Xiao Ling, raised her chin, and perfectly displayed the wound on her face.
Xiao Ling looked at her silently, without saying a word.
He Yue's defiant gaze softened slightly, a hint of unease creeping into her eyes. She knew perfectly well why the servant had hired someone to beat her. Her expression shifted, and she said coldly, "Revenge done? Feeling good now?"
Xiao Ling looked at her and took out a letter from his pocket. "You should leave!"
"Leave?" He Yue was stunned for a moment, and a slight regret even appeared in her heart.
"Go wherever you want. You are now free and speak fluent Yu language. With your cunning and resourcefulness, you should be able to live well. That courtyard is yours; you can live there if you want, or sell it to use as capital if you don't. Here are fifty taels of gold; take them for yourself!"
Xiao Ling glanced at the servant, who reluctantly picked up a plate containing a house deed and gold.
The outcome was not what the servant had imagined. He had thought that He Yue would be castrated and kicked out, but he didn't expect that he would actually be given money and a room. In his opinion, his master was just too kind.
He Yue was also somewhat stunned. Suddenly, she felt a little deflated. The way she had treated Xiao Ling all this time might have been because she knew he wouldn't hurt her, which was why she had acted so willfully. But today, as she was really leaving Xiao Ling, she felt a faint sadness and reluctance. "Why are you letting me go? You know perfectly well that I'm hurting you."
"Your brother once saved me. You are the only surviving member of the He family. If I kill you, it will wipe out your family line. I imagine your brother would not be able to rest in peace. I am letting you go today. The past kindness can be repaid, and the friendship between us will be wiped clean. From now on, we owe each other nothing."
Xiao Ling took a letter out of his pocket, placed it on the plate, and gestured for the servant to take it over.
The servant was clearly displeased, but he still obediently handed over the items.
He Yue looked at the things with a conflicted expression.
The servant didn't wait for her. He rolled up the silk cloth on the plate, wrapped the house deed, gold, and letters into a cloth bag, and stuffed it into He Yue's hand, saying, "Take this and leave quickly. Do you expect the Emperor to find you a husband? Take what you have now and leave quickly, or you'll have nothing if you anger the Emperor."
He Yue was led out of the courtyard by the servant in a daze.
The door slammed shut with a "bang!"
He Yue's feelings were very complicated. She used to always want to leave, thinking that Xiao Ling was deliberately tormenting her so that he would keep her by his side. Now that she was really going to be driven away, she felt abandoned.
She stood there blankly for a moment. Only when the sun began to move westward and she gradually felt cold did she realize that she had been standing there for quite a while.
She walked blankly toward the door.
She was already very familiar with the city lord's mansion, and she made her way out after several twists and turns. Now that she was a guest of the city lord's mansion, the servants were quite polite to her, and she left without any trouble.
But then Koihime walked in from outside, and their eyes met, both of them wary.
He Yue belatedly realized that everyone probably already knew about her harming Xiao Ling, and she was the only one kept in the dark. She had always prided herself on being smart, but now it seemed that she wasn't so smart after all.
Seeing the medicinal herbs in Lian Ji's bamboo basket, she had a sudden thought and asked, "Is the Emperor's illness alright?"
Koihime stopped and looked at her, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "He's about to die."
He Yue stood frozen in place, seemingly unable to process the fact that Xiao Ling was about to die. "What did you say?" She stepped forward and grabbed Lian Ji's sleeve.
Lianji looked at the hand that had been pulled into her sleeve, slowly pulled her clothes out, and said, "His health has deteriorated, and he probably won't live much longer. There is a Dragon Ling Grass, but I can't find it. That herb is probably extinct in the world."
He Yue felt as if something was blocking her throat; she never expected things to turn out this way.
Koihime gave her a deep look, then turned and left.
She was in a bad mood. She had traveled all the way to Spring Breeze City to find the Dragon Ling Grass to save Xiao Ling, but now it seemed that she had been wishful thinking. How could something so legendary be found here?
According to ancient records, Dragon Ling Grass has the effect of cleansing the marrow and bringing the dead back to life. Xiao Ling's body was already exhausted. She could only prolong her life as much as possible with many precious medicinal materials, but she could not completely change her inevitable fate of death.
Before coming to Spring Breeze City, she had held onto a one in ten thousand chance that she could find the Dragon Ling Grass, but reality had taken away even that one in ten thousand chance.
When I'm in a bad mood, memories come flooding back.
That year.
There was a precipice where Xiao Ling saved her from falling while gathering herbs.
From then on, their bond deepened day by day.
She had worn a veil since she was twelve years old, and no one except her master and clansmen had ever seen her face.
Xiao Ling saw her stunning beauty, and she saw Xiao Ling's exquisite appearance.
They looked at each other; she entered Xiao Ling's heart, but not his.
Xiao Ling refused the marriage proposal.
He said he was an unclean man and unworthy of the daughter of the Baiyi tribe leader.
The Baiyi tribe has a rule of monogamy, which is a breath of fresh air in an environment where women are respected and women often serve three or five men. The daughters of the Baiyi tribe have always been the object of everyone's scramble.
Despite being the most beautiful woman in the Baiyi ethnic group, she was rejected for marriage.
That night. On the shore.
She asked Xiao Ling, "Why?"
Xiao Ling smiled. "Do you know who I am?"
She shook her head. The Baiyi tribe was located in a remote area, and its people had always been known for their medical skills. They never cared about worldly affairs and seemed to live a carefree life in seclusion, oblivious to the passage of time. It was perfectly normal for her not to know who Xiao Ling was.
Xiao Ling's bright eyes seemed to sparkle like a galaxy. "This place is truly a blessed land. It would be wonderful to live here for a long time. This wonderful place is naturally suited for seclusion. However, I have other things to do and cannot stay here."
She could tell that the sigh of regret in his words was genuine.
She could clearly see the weariness and vicissitude in his eyes.
"No matter who you are, you can stay here if you want."
Xiao Ling gave her a deep look, “I am the Imperial Minister of Pingnan, and I have yet to repay the kindness of my family and country. I am afraid I will not be able to stay here in this life.”
Pingnan Emperor!
This time, it was her turn to have complicated emotions in her eyes.
During those days, she went down the mountain to treat patients and naturally heard about the deeds of Emperor Pingnan. A man who had served two emperors was enough to make him famous in history. Even if Jiang Xinwei was a false emperor, she was still of royal blood.
She finally understood what the sentence, "I am an unclean person!" really meant!
A gentle breeze cannot dispel all sorrow.
His figure looked surprisingly thin in the wind. "It's getting windy. Your health isn't good for the wind. You should go home early!"
She couldn't describe how she felt. She could only offer him superficial concern from a doctor's perspective, fearing that showing too much genuine concern would be a defilement or desecration to him.
Sympathy was superfluous to him.
She knew in her heart that he didn't need pity; his life was already remarkable enough, more meaningful than most people's. What right did she have to pity or sympathize with him?
She's very good at medicine.
Under her skillful care, Xiao Ling's health gradually showed signs of improvement, and he regained his vitality. His illness was much more serious than he had imagined; his flute was completely depleted, and the tonics he received could only temporarily revive him.
His broken body will continue to decline in wisdom unless it is rebuilt by a divine being.
She was somewhat sad and upset.
A young girl's love always comes tragically and intensely, resisting the intoxicating joy of a pilgrimage, watching something beautiful fall before her eyes, as if it were a murder.
She locked herself in her room, researching doctors and medicines, exhausting all her knowledge to finally develop that one prescription.
"I can grant you fifteen years of your life!"
A light shone in Xiao Ling's eyes, captivating him. He bowed respectfully to her. "Thank you! I have no way to repay your great kindness. Fifteen years is more than enough."
"...What are you going to do?" she finally asked, voicing the somewhat sad question.
"Take a walk, see the world. Only by walking and seeing can you say you've lived." Xiao Ling's smile was carefree and gentle.
He is like a piece of fine jade, always gentle and warm.
The farewell came quickly, as if it had happened in the blink of an eye.
The two looked at each other without saying or asking anything, as if they had just met in the martial world and were about to go their separate ways, without asking about the way home or where they were going.
But her eyes asked a question. "If I don't mind, would you stay?"
Xiao Ling smiled, waved, and turned to leave.
Nothing can be taken away, nothing cannot stay.
After that, she also went down the mountain, traveled around, treated people's illnesses, and broadened her horizons. Only then did she understand the meaning of "to have lived is to have seen and experienced".
Some people meet briefly, just a small part of a long life, but it is the most glorious part of that life, enough to be remembered for a lifetime.
Time flies by in the blink of an eye.
Ten years later.
In Spring Breeze City, we met again, unexpectedly, with a strange mix of joy and bittersweetness.
He fell ill because of a slave.
They spared no effort in traveling thousands of miles, and even at the cost of their lives.
She felt a pang of jealousy, but told herself that she was nothing and had no reason to be jealous or angry.
However, it didn't work!
Her heart had already surrendered and betrayed her.
...
The first person to notice that Koihime was in low spirits was the servant. His master's life was in Koihime's hands, and he hoped that her hands could work wonders and heal his master as soon as possible.
Xiao Ling's dark eyes swept over Lian Ji's exquisite face, and he exclaimed in his heart, "Beautiful!"
Watching beautiful people do things is a pleasure; it evokes a sense of wonder and makes one yearn for it.
Ten years have passed, and Koihime has grown up. She has shed her girlish naiveté, and her demeanor exudes a mature charm, a composure that comes from experiencing the vicissitudes of life.
"Have you traveled to many places?"
"Your days are numbered!"
The two spoke in unison, their eyes met, and Koihime slowly looked away.
Xiao Ling's eyes were thoughtful. His death was imminent, and it was not a pleasant experience. He had recklessly squandered his body, and now it was finally taking its revenge.
He passed away during the time when he could best appreciate the beauty of life. This fate is both good and unpredictable!
Lianji spoke softly, her voice as clear as orchids: "After you left, I traveled to many places, including most of the Yu Kingdom."
"Oh? How was it? What did you gain?" Knowing he was going to die, Xiao Ling had nothing left to hide. He quickly composed himself and listened with great interest to Lian Ji's words.
"It's alright! Having witnessed so much life and death, seeing you again now leaves me feeling calm and serene." Lianji lowered her eyes slightly, her indifferent tone masking a deep sense of helplessness. Even a doctor who has seen so much life and death can become a patient.
"That's good!" Xiao Ling breathed a sigh of relief. "So, you won't shed tears when I die."
Koihime abruptly raised her head, something seemed to shatter in her dark eyes, a fleeting moment of beauty that was deeply moving. "What if, I would?"
Sensing the persistence in her tone, Xiao Ling felt a pang of sadness. "Then have a good cry."
Renhime looked at him. "Since you've thought it through so clearly, why not just enjoy the moment and be merry?"
"Hahahaha!" Xiao Ling shifted his gaze from that stunningly beautiful face, pretending not to understand the meaning of "seize the day" in Lian Ji's words.
He doesn't deserve it!
He's unclean!
He considered himself to have a noble soul, yet he loathed this defiled body.
Sometimes, he wondered if he was abusing his body because it was so unbearable that his soul was screaming to leave.
Koihime, she's so beautiful!
If he had known they would meet again, he would have preferred to remain celibate for a thousand years, just for this one day of reunion.
Regret is a normal part of life.
His life was filled with many glories, so his regrets were also far greater than those of others. Even Emperor Jiang Wujiang, who held all the advantages in the world, could not obtain the Buddhist servants in Baoguang Temple. What merit did he possess to be comparable to the emperor?
Therefore, I am not too afraid of losing it, because I am already used to it.
Lianji didn't receive a response from him. She gave a slight bow and left, her voice drifting away on the wind. "We, the Baiyi tribe, practice monogamy for life. If one dies, the other remains by their side for life. Because we have experienced the most beautiful thing, everything else becomes a compromise. Have you ever encountered the most beautiful thing?"
This time, Koihime didn't wait for his answer. Her pure white figure gradually faded into the distance and finally disappeared through the doorway.
Xiao Ling was extremely weak; these few words seemed to have drained his body dry.
Having encountered the most beautiful things in nature, I am unwilling to desecrate them!
On this day, the medicine tasted even more bitter than usual, as if all the sorrows of time had been boiled into the bowl.
Looking at Xiao Ling's pained expression, the servant smiled and said, "Sister Lianji said that if the medicine is bitter, thinking about sweet things will make you feel better."
Xiao Ling's heart stirred, and he smiled.
The sweetest thing that ever happened to him was probably saving the graceful Baiyi woman from the edge of a cliff.
That year, when we first met, I thought it was just a chance encounter, but it turned out to be a budding romance. Unfortunately, the timing was wrong, and all our feelings were wasted.
The servant, seeing the smile gradually appear on Xiao Ling's face, asked, "Your Majesty, what are you thinking about?"
"Something sweet!" Xiao Ling replied!
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