The room was completely silent.
Pei Qing stood there, staring at the pale-faced woman with a mocking look in her eyes, under the candlelight, without moving for a long time.
Jiang Fei slowly walked forward, stood in front of Pei Qing, reached out and touched his chin, and with a slight touch, found the edge of the mask and pulled it off with a little force.
Beneath the human skin/mask, Pei Qingqing's pale complexion was clearly revealed.
"When did you find out?" Pei Qing's voice was hoarse.
Jiang Fei's eyelashes trembled slightly: "Today, when you appeared."
Pei Qing's body trembled, feeling both fear and a barely perceptible secret joy.
It turns out she recognized him from the very beginning, yet she still accompanied him to the market, flew kites, and let him teach her how to dance with a whip. Could it be that she... still harbored feelings for him?
“Feifei…”
“But you shouldn’t have come,” Jiang Fei interrupted him, turning her head away from him.
“I want to see you,” Pei Qing’s voice gradually softened, “I have wanted to see you every day since you left.”
"Feifei, are you... alright?"
Jiang Fei lowered her eyes: "It's good. Here, no one forces me to do things I don't like or eat food I don't like, and I don't need to be anyone's shadow."
Pei Qing's fingers trembled slightly, and she unconsciously took a half step back.
Jiang Fei glanced at his movements and gave a self-deprecating smile: "You should leave, Pei Qing." She paused for a moment, "The Prince's mansion is heavily guarded. If it gets any later, the guards will probably notice something is wrong, and then you won't be able to leave even if you want to..."
"Then I won't leave," Pei Qing said in a hoarse voice. "Feifei, I won't leave, okay?"
Jiang Fei looked at him in astonishment, then forced a smile: "Don't joke around. Your body simply can't stay away from the capital for too long. How long can you stay outside this time? Ten days? Twenty days? You'll die out there..."
“Then die out there,” Pei Qing said in a deep voice.
Jiang Fei froze, staring blankly at him.
Pei Qing hesitated for a moment, then gently stroked her cheek, and then lightly grasped the red veil on her head, tearing it off with a little force. Her snow-white hair fell down, stinging his eyes: "Feifei, I love you."
Jiang Fei's expression froze, and after a long while, he murmured, "Impossible... What about Jiang Rongrong?"
“Jiang Rongrong is gone,” Pei Qing felt a pang of pain in her heart. “There will be no one else, only you.”
Jiang Fei remained silent, her face pale.
"Feifei, believe me." Pei Qing stepped forward and took her hand.
Jiang Fei's fingers trembled slightly, her gaze finally landing on Pei Qing's features, and then her eyes suddenly reddened: "Pei Qing, we're too late..."
“It’s not too late,” Pei Qing said urgently as he walked up to her and whispered sadly, “Feifei, I know Chu Mo hasn’t found the Blood Silk Gu yet. I will stay with you, okay? I will always be by your side, no matter what.”
“But I want you to give birth.” Jiang Fei pulled her hand away from his.
Pei Qing stared blankly at her empty hands, her eyes wide with confusion: "Feifei..."
“Pei Qing, I really love the scenery of the Great Yan,” Jiang Fei smiled gently. “I grew up in the capital, and I love every blade of grass, every tree, every brick and tile there.”
She looked at him and said, "Pei Qing, you should go back to the capital."
Pei Qing was stunned: "Feifei?"
"I am now Chu Mo's wife. Besides, knowing what happened in the past, I no longer love you. Otherwise, why would I have publicly refused my father's marriage decree for us? The person I love now is Chu Mo, and the person who will be by my side in the future will only be him."
“You’re lying,” Pei Qing said hoarsely. “I know everything, Fei Fei. You rejected the Emperor’s arranged marriage for us just to let Jiang Rongrong and me be together, didn’t you? Even though you know I hurt you, you still wanted to let me be together. You actually like me too, don’t you?”
Tears welled up in Jiang Fei's eyes as she stared wide-eyed at Pei Qing: "You..." Before she could finish speaking, her body suddenly swayed, and she looked as if she was about to fall to the ground.
Pei Qing was shocked and quickly stepped forward to pull her into his arms: "Feifei? Feifei..."
Jiang Fei opened his eyes, his voice low and hoarse: "Go back to the capital."
“Feifei…”
Jiang Fei's voice grew softer and softer: "Pei Qing, return to the capital."
"Live on."
Pei Qing held her close, his eyes stinging with tears.
He didn't deserve her kindness at all; even now, all he wanted was to survive.
The people of the capital who saw him as a monster, and the only woman who told him, "You are not a monster."
He just wanted to be with the person he loved.
Jiang Fei gasped for breath a few times: "Chu Mo has found the whereabouts of the Blood Silk Gu." She reached out and gently stroked Pei Qing's cheek. "I promise you, I will not die from the Cold Flower Poison."
As for the rest, she wasn't sure.
Pei Qing was stunned.
Jiang Fei's eyes were exceptionally firm, showing no sign of lying.
“So, Pei Qing, go back to the capital,” Jiang Fei smiled. “I love the scenery of Great Yan.”
Pei Qing stared intently at the smile on her lips.
Jiang Fei whispered, "Promise me, okay?"
Pei Qing clenched her fists tightly: "Feifei..."
Promise me.
Pei Qing fell silent, and after a long while, he reached out and gently brushed her white hair back: "...Okay."
Jiang Fei laughed, her eyes half-closed.
Pei Qing pulled her into a tight embrace: "Feifei, the scenery of Great Yan will always be beautiful." He would risk his life to protect it.
"Mmm," Jiang Fei responded softly.
Pei Qing remained silent for a while before cautiously asking, "Will you return to the capital?"
Jiang Fei's consciousness gradually drifted, and she felt drowsy: "Perhaps," she whispered, "if there is a chance."
“Mm,” Pei Qing responded softly, “I’ll wait for you.”
"I will be waiting for you in the capital."
"No matter when you return to the capital, I will be waiting for you at the city gate."
"forever."
Jiang Fei did not respond.
Pei Qing gently embraced her.
After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Fei, whom he thought had long since fallen into a deep sleep, suddenly stirred in his arms and looked at him.
The next moment, she whispered, "Pei Qing, no matter what others say, in my eyes..."
"You are not a monster."
Pei Qing was stunned, then buried his head in her shoulder, his eyes stinging with tears: "I love you."
Pei Qing's favorability rating: 100.
...
Pei Qing left after leaving a positive impression.
Jiang Fei was very happy.
Now that the Emperor of Great Yan is old and Pei Qing is not in the capital, I'm afraid the Great Yan court is already in complete chaos.
Pei Qing's return to the capital was able to quell the forces of all sides, which could be considered... relieving the emperor of his worries and allowing him to enjoy the remaining years of his life in peace.
Chu Mo sent someone to find her last night, telling her to go to the other courtyard tonight.
Jiang Fei could roughly guess that the Blood Silk Gu had probably been found.
She stayed in her room all day until night fell, when the guards from the previous day quietly reappeared and led Jiang Fei toward the villa.
The villa wasn't very big; it consisted of only one courtyard and three rooms.
The guard led her to the innermost room, which was empty. The guard spun a vase on the bookshelf, and the door to the secret room slowly opened with a "bang".
A strong medicinal smell wafted out almost instantly.
The guards stopped by the door, and Jiang Fei walked into the dark room alone. A few candles cast a dim yellow light around him until he turned into a secret passage inside the dark room, where there was a ten-foot square pool filled with brown medicinal juice. A layer of hot mist floated on the surface of the water, and the smell of medicine was strong.
Behind the medicine pool, there was a screen that blocked her view.
“This hot soup is a hundred-herb soup,” said the drunkard who came out from the side. “It is made from a hundred kinds of precious medicinal herbs. Ordinary minor illnesses and poisons can be cured by soaking in it for an hour or two.”
After saying that, the drunkard smiled and said, "Your Highness, please."
Jiang Fei was stunned for a moment: "Where is Chu Mo?"
The drunkard glanced sideways at the screen, then chuckled, flicked his sleeve, and a wisp of pleasant white smoke rose from it.
Jiang Fei's vision blurred, and she gradually lost consciousness.
Jiu Dian helped Jiang Fei up and placed her in the medicinal pool. Then he slowly turned around and walked behind the screen: "Your Highness, we can begin."
"Hmm." Behind the screen, Chu Mo's voice was hoarse and inhuman.
When the drunkard stepped forward, he tried to help him walk.
"No need," Chu Mo said hoarsely, slowly standing up and walking out from behind the screen with a normal expression, his steps faltering slightly.
Looking at his emaciated figure, bloodless face, and dark, lifeless eyes, Jiu Dian sighed softly in his heart.
Seeing that he was about to step into the medicinal pool, Jiu Dian hurriedly said, "Your Highness, we've arrived."
Chu Mo paused, his eyes devoid of any light, then bent down into the medicinal pool, groping along the edge until he touched Jiang Fei's arm, at which point he stopped and gently curved the corners of his lips into a smile.
Jiang Fei.
He pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her hair, and then tenderly and affectionately wrapped her in his arms.
From now on, she will no longer be afraid of others seeing her white hair.
At least, I don't have to be afraid of him seeing it.
But he was afraid she would dislike him...
“Your Highness, once the Blood Silk Gu realizes that there is no poisonous creature feeding on it in your body, it may cause some trouble before it notices the Cold Flower Poison on the Princess.” Jiu Dian said by the pool, “It may be in some pain right now, so why don’t you release the Princess first?”
Chu Mo did not move.
After waiting for a while, Jiu Dian finally understood, took a half step back, and said nothing more.
Before long, the Blood Silk Gu took effect, swimming all over its body and constantly sucking blood and flesh from its body, disrupting its internal organs.
It took half an hour of commotion before it finally quieted down.
With the Cold Flower Poison on Jiang Fei's body as a catalyst, the Blood Silk Gu quickly surged out and burrowed into Jiang Fei's wrist.
The drunkard half-closed his eyes, examining Chu Mo's hand.
From beginning to end, he didn't exert any effort on the woman in front of him.
When Jiang Fei woke up again, she was in her own room.
She almost immediately realized that the cold flower poison in her body had disappeared, and her limbs gradually regained their temperature.
Feeling refreshed and invigorated.
Looking around, Chu Mo was nowhere to be seen.
Jiang Fei frowned. She was just a hair's breadth away from gaining enough favor with Chu Mo. At this moment, Chu Mo should still be at the villa…
Thinking of this, she got off the bed and headed towards the other courtyard.
Having been here last night, Jiang Fei knew the way well and entered the innermost door, pushed it open, and then paused slightly.
On an eight-immortal chair, a person dressed in a snow-white undergarment sat with his back to her. His black hair was disheveled and draped behind him. Even from behind, he looked thin as a skeleton and extremely weak.
Chu Mo.
Jiang Fei pursed her lips and stepped forward.
"Thank you for your help these past few days, Sanren," came Chu Mo's hoarse voice.
Jiang Fei paused, said nothing, and continued forward.
Seemingly sensing something was amiss, Chu Mo tilted his head, his eyes vacant: "A wandering soul?"
Jiang Fei walked towards him gently.
Chu Mo also sensed something, his expression changed slightly, and his voice was hesitant and strained: "...Feifei?"
Jiang Fei remained silent and simply walked up to him.
Chu Mo's expression changed slightly, and he quickly turned his head away, a sudden surge of fear and humility welling up in his heart.
Now, he's like a useless person.
He suddenly spoke, his voice changing tone: "Secret Guard."
A bodyguard leaped in.
Chu Mo said in a hoarse voice, "Send the princess back to her room..."
"Chu Mo." Jiang Fei interrupted him, her voice trembling slightly at the end.
Chu Mo paused, lowered his gaze, and listened intently to her voice.
She finally stopped calling him "Your Highness"...
Jiang Fei remained silent, only gazing at him for a long time before waving her hand in front of his eyes.
His gaze remained completely unwavering.
Jiang Fei paused, taking a half-step back: "Your eyes..."
He can no longer see.
Chu Mo was greatly shocked, feeling utterly embarrassed: "The secret guards..."
"Because of me?" Jiang Fei asked in a trembling voice, "You became like this in order to obtain the Blood Silk Gu?"
“Feifei…”
"Why?" Jiang Fei retorted, "Don't you hate me?"
Chu Mo paused, "...What?"
Jiang Fei blinked her sore eyes: "From the very beginning, you've been plotting this all along."
"You said you married me only to gain my father's trust; you said I was rude and arrogant, and that you would never like someone like me..."
"Even the Cold Flower Poison in my body was given to me by you. For Jiang Rongrong's sake, to ensure her safety, you made me her test subject."
"Back then, on the city wall, you abandoned me, saying that you only wanted Jiang Rongrong."
Chu Mo's eyes were blank: "You... you remember everything?"
Then my heart was filled with endless fear and ecstasy.
She remembered the hurt she had suffered in the past; perhaps she also remembered... the affection she had once felt.
Jiang Fei laughed: "I'd rather not remember anything at all."
After saying that, she turned to leave.
"Feifei!" Chu Mo suddenly stood up and chased after her, but after only two steps, he collapsed to the ground in a disheveled state.
Jiang Fei froze at the doorway.
"Don't go, Feifei," Chu Mo raised his head, struggling to face her direction, "You can hit me, scold me, and if that still doesn't satisfy you, I'll stab you a few times, but... don't go."
"Don't go."
Jiang Fei remained standing in the same spot, without moving.
Hearing a struggle behind him, Chu Mo struggled to his feet and staggered toward her. When he finally touched her back, his hand trembled.
"Feifei..." Chu Mo called softly, walked up to her, and even though he couldn't see anything, he still struggled to open his eyes wide. He stroked her cheek, and his fingertips trembled violently when he touched her tears.
Then, he awkwardly wiped away her tears: "Don't cry."
Jiang Fei looked into his eyes, her voice trembling with sobs: "On the day you rebelled, even after I knew everything, I still wanted to find you, to ask you if you ever had a single sincere thought for me?"
"I want to ask you, why could you abandon me there so easily? Is Jiang Rongrong's life worth more than mine?"
"If you don't like me, just say so. I won't force you to marry me."
"But why, why do you still bother me after I've chosen to forget... Is playing with me really that fun?"
Do you know how much I hate you?
"I'm sorry," Chu Mo said, his hand trembling as he stroked her cheek, "Feifei, I'm so sorry..."
"I'm sorry, Feifei..."
He repeated it over and over, and as he spoke, a single tear of blood dripped from his empty eyes.
Jiang Fei paused, and after a long silence, said in a hoarse voice, "Chu Mo, what I hate most is that I love you."
Chu Mo's hand froze, then he pulled her into his arms in an instant: "It's okay to hate, Fei Fei."
"I love you."
I love you so much.
Chu Mo's favorability rating: 100.
[System: Congratulations, host, mission complete.]
Chu Mo eventually fainted due to physical weakness.
When Jiang Fei walked out of the villa, it was already close to evening.
With the mission accomplished, she felt much happier, and her steps became lighter.
That night, she slept soundly and rested well for several days afterward.
Having completed her mission, she had lost all interest in this world.
On this day, she had just finished reading a storybook and went to the courtyard for some fresh air when she heard a faint sound behind her.
Jiang Fei didn't pay much attention to it.
She knew that Lu Zhi had been keeping watch in the shadows all this time, but since she had already achieved the desired level of favorability, she simply ignored him.
but……
Jiang Fei paused, pondered for a moment, as if he had thought of something, and then turned and walked towards the kitchen.
The cooks in the kitchen were quite surprised to see Jiang Fei, but they quickly understood, probably because of the prince's illness.
Jiang Fei dismissed everyone and stood alone in the kitchen, doing nothing but quietly watching.
After an unknown amount of time, she suddenly spoke: "Lu Zhi."
There was a slight commotion behind him, and after a long while, Lu Zhi finally appeared at the door with some hesitation.
This was the first time in a while that she had called him on her own initiative.
“Princess,” Lu Zhi said softly.
No matter how others called her "Princess," in his heart, she was always a princess.
Jiang Fei turned around and looked at him: "Start a fire."
Lu Zhi agreed as usual, but then suddenly realized what she meant and looked up at her in astonishment.
She remembered?
Jiang Fei remained silent, quietly picking up the dishes from the side and preparing them.
Lu Zhi pursed his lips, walked to the stove, and started a fire.
Jiang Fei quickly put the vegetables into the pot. Looking at the glistening vegetables soaked in hot oil, she asked again, "Do you still remember the last chapter of the Jade Guanyin story?"
Lu Zhi tightened his grip on the firewood, his fingertips turning white, and after a long while, he uttered a soft "hmm".
He had read this storybook countless times.
“Read it to me,” Jiang Fei said.
Lu Zhi lowered his eyes and softly recited the scene he knew by heart: "Both pulses were exhausted and both perished, one life returned to the yellow earth. ... Later generations commented: Prince Xian'an could not suppress his fiery temper, Guo Paijun could not help but chatter, Qu Xiuniang could not bear to part with her family, and Cui Daizhao could not get rid of his ghostly enemy."
Jiang Fei listened quietly, and by the time he finished reading, the dishes were ready.
She ladled the food into a bowl and handed it to Lu Zhi.
Lu Zhi paused for a moment, then took a bite: "The princess's cooking is delicious."
Jiang Fei shoved the bowl into his hands: "This is for you."
Lu Zhi looked at her in disbelief: "Princess?"
Jiang Fei said, "I once had a guard who was exceptionally brave, martial, and outstanding..."
Lu Zhi was stunned, and then his ears felt slightly hot.
Jiang Fei glanced at him and chuckled, knowing he was projecting his own feelings onto the story, but she didn't explain, since the stories were all pretty much the same anyway.
“He said he would be loyal to me for life. But later, he abandoned me for someone else.”
Lu Zhi's face was pale, and his hand holding the jade porcelain bowl trembled uncontrollably.
“So, Lu Zhi,” Jiang Fei turned her head and looked directly into his eyes, “you can leave.”
"Princess……"
“The world is so vast, and with your superb martial arts skills, there will always be a time when you make a name for yourself,” Jiang Fei lowered his eyes, his smile fading slightly, “and I don’t want to keep you here any longer.”
"I belong to the princess..."
"Are you?" Jiang Fei asked in return.
Lu Zhi stood frozen in place, his whole body ice-cold.
Jiang Fei did not linger any longer and got up to leave.
Standing in the kitchen, Lu Zhi's initial shock at her remembering the past and his initial joy at her feeding him had not yet dissipated when they were replaced by waves of fear and apprehension.
She doesn't want him anymore.
This time, she really doesn't want him anymore.
The cook returned and looked at him with surprise: "Is there something else for Guard Lu to do here?"
Lu Zhi didn't say anything, left and went back to his room. The late autumn night was slightly cool, and the dishes had long since gone cold.
He remained silent for a long time before finally swallowing his food, bite by bite.
Was it because the mark on her chest was destroyed?
Does that mean... as long as we're still here, we don't have to leave?
Jiang Fei slept soundly that night, and when she woke up the next day, the world seemed much brighter.
However, she was stunned when she opened the door.
A dark figure leaned against the doorway, a person slumped on the ground, head down, hands covered in blood.
Lu Zhi.
Hearing the noise, Lu Zhi moved slightly and then looked up at Jiang Fei.
Jiang Fei frowned.
On Lu Zhi's right cheek, the character "Jiang" was written in blood, with traces of cinnabar scattered on it.
“I am still the princess’s woman,” he said softly.
Jiang Fei looked down at him, then leaned down to look at his face: "It can't be removed?"
"It won't disappear."
"What a pity." Jiang Fei straightened up. "Then let's go with them."
After saying that, she got up and walked outside.
Lu Zhi stood up quietly, and after a long while, he gave a hoarse laugh.
Then let's go along with it.
good.
...
It is now late autumn, and the mountains around the capital are all barren.
Jiang Fei walked quietly up the mountain, her full head of white hair loose and disheveled in the wind.
Behind her followed a boy dressed in black with his long hair tied up high.
The boy was bathed in blood, half of his cheek stained with blood.
When they reached a cliff, Jiang Fei stopped and turned to look at Lu Zhi, who was following behind her.
Lu Zhi was also looking at her, watching her snow-white hair fly wildly in disarray, and an overwhelming sense of fear swept over him.
But he dared not go forward, fearing that she would disappear.
"Are you one of mine?" Jiang Fei suddenly asked, his eyes narrowed as he smiled lazily and freely.
Lu Zhi nodded.
"Then will you listen to me?" Jiang Fei asked again.
Lu Zhi nodded again.
“Alright,” Jiang Fei laughed, “If a weed grows on my grave, then you should cut the words off your face as soon as possible and go as far away as possible.”
As she finished speaking, she gently raised her hand, her red dress rustling in the wind.
She fell backward in the mountain mist and the mountain wind.
They collapsed in the mountain mist and the mountain wind.
Lu Zhi stared blankly, his expression unwavering, before finally staggering to the edge of the cliff.
He opened his mouth, wanting to call out to her, but no sound came out; even his tears had dried up.
However, he felt no surprise whatsoever.
The princess was bright and proud throughout her life, and she lived and died with pride.
She wouldn't stay by Chu Mo's side without any reservations after regaining her memories and learning the whole truth.
But the fog below the cliff was thick, and he was afraid she would be cold. He wanted to go and keep her company, but then he stopped in his tracks.
It wasn't that he was afraid of death, but... he was afraid that she would leave him because he was disobedient.
Lu Zhi stood up, walked around the top of the cliff step by step, and descended the cliff.
He found her.
She is still so beautiful.
He could finally embrace her without restraint, without having to watch her being held in someone else's arms.
Lu Zhi didn't know how long he had been at the foot of the cliff, only that as the days and nights passed, someone said to him, "Guard Lu, this is... the Princess?"
He looked up and saw Chu Mo's bodyguards.
Those guards were all loyal men; they knelt on the ground and begged him not to tell Chu Mo about it.
Lu Zhi opened his mouth, but his throat was sore that he couldn't make a sound.
Lu Zhi did not return to the palace, but stayed alone at the foot of the cliff.
A thatched hut, and a neatly maintained grave.
He will stay with her.
I stayed with her the whole time.
The capital of the Great Yan Dynasty.
As the emperor grew old and his power waned, powerful ministers in the court began to plot to seize control of the government and usurp the throne.
However, such delusions were completely shattered when the Imperial Preceptor Pei Qing returned from outside the city covered in blood.
The antidote on Pei Qing's body failed ten miles outside the capital. Along the way, the Qilin Gu was restless and its body was almost entirely covered in undamaged skin.
Even so, he only rested for seven days. On the eighth day, a scout from the Great Wei reported that the Cold Flower Poison in Jiang Fei's body had been cured.
It turns out she was telling the truth; she would live.
Pei Qing, still in poor health, went to the court with a pale face and respectfully asked the emperor to abdicate and retire to the inner palace so that he could enjoy his old age, support the young emperor to ascend the throne, and do his best to assist him.
As the court gradually stabilized, Pei Qing made a decision that shocked everyone—he ignored the Qilin Gu on his body and moved the entire Imperial Preceptor's Mansion to the city gate.
But only Pei Qing knew that only when he returned to his mansion at the city gate after court each day, feeling the restless pain of the Qilin Gu within his body, could he realize that he was still alive.
On ordinary days, he would attend court steadily and maintain order, but he would never seize power. In his spare time, he would stare blankly in the direction of the Great Wei, waiting for a red figure to appear not far away.
She said that she would return to Beijing if given the opportunity.
He also said that he would wait for her return at the city gate, forever.
He believed her.
However, on this day, the spies from the Great Wei came again. The spies knelt on the ground and said, "After Princess Changning regained her memory, she was greatly shocked and jumped off a cliff from a desolate mountain near the capital and committed suicide."
Pei Qing listened blankly to the scout's words, repeatedly pondering their meaning in his mind. In the end, he began to not understand what the phrase "jump off a cliff to commit suicide" meant.
It wasn't until a guard beside him whispered "My lord" that he finally came to his senses and looked at the scout kneeling before him: "I sent you to the Great Wei to find out some facts, not these unfounded things. Drag him away and execute him."
The scout was shocked, but the guard next to him had sharp eyes and waved to him, so the scout quickly got up and left.
Pei Qing remained silent, stunned for a long time, then turned and walked towards the city gate. Standing beneath the gate, he felt the Qilin Gu stirring restlessly within his body, and waves of excruciating pain washed over him. Finally, his consciousness cleared somewhat.
That's hilarious.
What the scout just said was hilarious.
Why would Jiang Fei jump off a cliff and commit suicide?
She said that the poison of the cold flower in her body could be cured, so she survived.
So if she says she'll have the chance to return to Beijing, she definitely will.
And then there's the scenery of the Great Yan, which she loves.
She must still be in the Prince's Palace of Great Wei, waiting for the day she can return to the capital to see her father, the scenery of the capital, the people in the Princess's Palace, and... see him.
Even just one glance would be enough.
He has a lifetime to wait for her to come back.
...
One year later.
Lu Zhi quietly carried the vegetables and walked towards the desolate mountains near the capital without saying a word, the bright red "ginger" character on his face particularly eye-catching.
The local people were already used to this. They all knew that there was a mute and mentally challenged child on that desolate mountain who guarded a grave day and night. No one knew his name or surname, but they knew that he had a bright red "Jiang" character on his face, so he must be surnamed Jiang.
Another thing that the people talked about was that the regent who had seized power from the army with lightning speed a year ago actually handed over power to the Grand Tutor after holding the reins of power for less than a hundred days.
I heard it's related to his queen who still refuses to forgive him.
The regent and the queen were truly a pair of star-crossed lovers.
This princess was Princess Changning, the most beloved princess of the Great Yan Dynasty. However, the regent had hurt her, causing her to lose her memory. After regaining her memory, she still harbored resentment towards the regent and left.
The poor regent is now blind and can only stay in the palace, waiting for the princess to calm down and return on her own. Meanwhile, in the palace…
Now, Chu Moche has become a complete poison man, needing to consume Gu medicine for the rest of his life. His blood has become a treasure, capable of curing all poisons, but it has no effect on him whatsoever.
As for his blindness, perhaps it was the drunken madman who coveted his blood and stayed in the Prince's mansion, treating him with acupuncture every day. Although the hope was not great, it was still something to look forward to.
Today is the last time Jiu Dian will administer acupuncture to his eyes. If they cannot be restored, he will never see the light again in this lifetime.
Chu Mo didn't care about those eyes, but he wanted to find Jiang Fei.
She was his only motivation.
Everyone in the Prince's mansion said that after Jiang Fei left his room in a daze that day, she went to live in a courtyard in the suburbs.
He knew that she must have been greatly traumatized after regaining her memory and still refused to forgive him for the hurt he had caused her in the past.
He had been to that courtyard. Although he could not see anything, he heard her say to him, "When your eyes are restored, come and take me back in person."
He agreed.
A blind man is not worthy of the beautiful Jiang Fei in his heart.
Therefore, he cooperated with the acupuncture treatment for his alcoholic epilepsy and took his medication diligently every day.
She was his only hope.
The last day has finally arrived.
However, after the drunkard removed the silver needles, his vision remained completely dark. The drunkard waved his hand in front of him and asked him what he might be feeling.
Chu Mo remained silent.
He could feel the lingering sound of the wind after his hand had been swung, but he couldn't see anything.
It failed.
He is still blind.
However, he still missed Jiang Fei very much.
His Fei Fei.
Chu Mo got up and stumbled toward the door. He wanted to see her, he was desperate.
A flurry of hurried footsteps sounded all around, and Chu Mo could even hear the guards rushing away.
When he finally arrived at the courtyard on the outskirts of the city, the servants said that Jiang Fei had gone out and would not be back for a while.
He waited quietly at the door.
After an unknown amount of time, they finally heard the woman's voice approaching slowly, accompanied by that familiar "Your Highness".
Chu Mo looked in the direction of the voice: "Feifei..."
He stopped mid-sentence.
He felt a glimmer of light slowly appear before his eyes, felt the surrounding scenery gradually regain its color, and felt... his eyes, long accustomed to darkness, could now vaguely see the person in front of him.
Then, things gradually became clear.
Chu Mo stared blankly at the woman in front of him for a long time before laughing: "Feifei, may I call you 'Chu Mo'?"
He saw the woman in front of him glance quickly at the guard beside her, and then call out to him in a panicked voice, "Chu Mo."
Chu Mo smiled, didn't step forward, didn't say anything more, and turned to leave.
The guards followed, but Chu Mo just waved his hand and said he wanted to be alone for a while.
After the guards left, Chu Mo found a secluded corner and finally couldn't help but take deep breaths.
That woman was not Jiang Fei.
He's just someone whose voice sounds exactly like Jiang Fei's.
He didn't even know... where his Fei Fei had gone.
...
Lu Zhi sensed someone following him, but didn't pay any attention.
This life is yours to take, whoever wants it can have it.
But the person did not appear until he returned to his room.
Lu Zhi prepared a meal for two people, served two portions, one for himself and the other placed in front of a grave. The grave was clean and tidy, without a single weed around it.
After finishing his meal, he quietly took out a storybook and began to read aloud softly.
He wasn't mute; he just spoke to her.
After finishing reading, it was late at night, so Lu Zhi went back to his room to rest.
The moment he left, a figure slowly emerged, walked blankly to the grave, stared at the inscription on the tombstone, and remained silent for a long time.
After a long while, he reached out and gently stroked the two characters "Jiang Fei" on the tombstone, chuckling softly, his voice hoarse and unpleasant.
"Are you cold?" he asked in a low voice.
“You married me the first time, and you married me again the second time, Feifei,” he laughed, “only I am qualified to be with you.”
The next day, when Lu Zhi woke up, he went to sweep away the excess dust in front of the tombstone as usual, but froze when he saw the figure lying in front of the tombstone.
—Chu Mo, dressed in red, collapsed to the ground, with all the poisonous herbs poured into the soil beside him.
For those who are poisoned, if they do not consume the poison for a day, it is as if a hundred claws are scratching at their heart, causing them excruciating pain until they die.
...
Cave.
Jiang Fei saw her own body once again, and because of the Phoenix Clan's heart blood, her body became even more beautiful.
It seems that having a sexy bodyguard isn't all bad.
"How many spirit coins do I have?" Jiang Fei asked, gently stroking his cheek.
[System: Host's mission completion rating in the previous world was excellent. Lu Zhi's bounty...]
Before it could finish speaking, the barrier at the cave entrance shifted slightly.
Jiang Fei frowned and muttered to himself, "Having too many romantic entanglements is the downside. Who will it be this time?"
[System: ...Why isn't anyone forcing their way through the barrier this time?]
"Maybe those people realized they were too useless and couldn't possibly break through the barrier I set up," Jiang Fei shrugged.
The commotion outside the cave subsided for a moment, and then something slowly drifted in from outside.
Jiang Fei used his meager magical power to catch the thing, but frowned when he saw it.
A scale was faintly glowing with blue light.
[System: What is this?]
Jiang Fei didn't speak, but just stared at the scales with an unfriendly expression.
[System: Host?]
Jiang Fei suddenly reached out and threw the scales out of the hole, then clapped his hands in disgust: "You've dirtied my hands."
After a deathly silence at the cave entrance, the barrier showed obvious fluctuations.
[System: Host, didn't you enjoy collecting the Phoenix Clan's heart's blood last time?]
The barrier at the cave entrance stopped, as if it too was waiting for her answer.
Jiang Fei laughed: "This is different."
[System: What's different? Is it possible that the scales aren't as valuable as heart's blood?]
“Well, not exactly,” Jiang Fei raised an eyebrow. “That is the protective scale of the ancient dragon race, which has existed since the beginning of the world and the appearance of dragons.”
[System: Wouldn't that be incredibly precious?]
“It’s a pity,” Jiang Fei glanced at the cave entrance, “it got dirty after being taken by my shameless ex-partner.”
[System: Former, former Daoist partner?]
Jiang Fei interrupted it impatiently: "Quickly calculate my spirit coins, I don't want to stay in this smoky place any longer."
[System: ...Host completed the mission excellently in the last world. Lu Zhi's bounty: 4 million spirit coins, Pei Qing's bounty: 5 million spirit coins, Chu Mo's bounty: 6 million spirit coins, totaling 15 million spirit coins, with no deductions. Adding the previous 25.3 million spirit coins, the total is 40.3 million spirit coins.]
Jiang Fei nodded in satisfaction: "Let's begin the next world."
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