Chapter 73 Promise
The county lady was held hostage by Ling Tianshui. Although the gentlemen were unable to get too close to her for her safety, they all followed her here.
However, Ling Tianshui's black horse was too majestic, and it took some time for everyone to gather the horses. By the time they caught up, they saw the county lady returning to the official road alone.
She looked dazed, tears streaming down her face, clearly frightened and deeply afflicted by Ling Tianshui's torture. Everyone quickly gathered around to offer their condolences and check on the County Lady to see if she had any injuries.
"It's okay, he didn't do anything to me." Qian Deng shook his head, but his head was buzzing and he couldn't calm down no matter how hard he forced himself.
Seeing the county lady in such a trance, Ji Linyou cursed and rushed on his horse to chase Ling Tianshui.
Qian Deng raised his hand to stop him, shook his head wearily, and said, "No need. There is no such person as Ling Tianshui in this world anymore."
He just came here using this identity. Now that everything has come to this, it seems impossible for him to appear in this identity again.
Everyone knew that the county lady had ended her relationship with Ling Tianshui.
Xue Xiyang couldn't help showing a look of secret joy, while Mingjiu shouted "How can this be possible" and looked at the northwest with a strange expression.
Only Cui Fufeng had a complicated look in his eyes. He wanted to say something to Qian Deng, but looking at her dazed and sad expression, and thinking about everything that he had not stopped in time before, he could only choose to remain silent.
Qian Deng looked up at Wei Fengyang behind him, collected himself, and walked over to him, saying, "Wei Zuoshuai, please report to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince that Ling Tianshui, the military commander of the Changhua Palace, has been executed according to palace regulations for his involvement in a murder case. His military registration is still with the Shuofang Army, and the Changhua Palace will contact and cancel it, proving that Ling Tianshui is no longer alive. Please rest assured, the court and His Royal Highness."
"That's fine. His Royal Highness was just worried that there might be someone unscrupulous among the candidates for the County Lady's husband. Now that the County Lady has made a wise decision, I believe His Royal Highness will appreciate it and feel at ease."
With this outcome, Wei Fengyang had successfully completed his mission, so he didn't bother to dwell on it in detail. He comforted Qian Deng with a few words and then led the crowd back to report.
A group of people surrounded Qiandeng and helped him mount his horse to return home. When Qiandeng was tiredly riding his horse back, he changed direction halfway and headed towards the Changhua Royal Tomb.
Although the gentlemen did not understand her meaning, they all followed her.
After entering the mausoleum, Qiandeng led everyone to burn incense in the hall of worship, and then went to the mausoleum at the rear alone.
The young men stayed in the hall, viewing the paintings on the wall depicting the life and achievements of Prince Changhua. Only Cui Fufeng had been involved in the planning of the royal mausoleum while at the Ministry of Rites. He was familiar with the veterans guarding the mausoleum, as the funeral ceremonies for Lady Qi had been held there many times.
After he had burned incense before the coffin, he went to the side hall and casually took the tribute account of the royal mausoleum and looked through and recorded it, so as to avoid the accountant in the mansion having to go out of the city and climb the mountain to reconcile the accounts.
Captain Ma came over, looked in the direction of the mausoleum, and said with some concern, "Master Cui, why don't you go check on the county lady? I'm a little worried about her."
Cui Fufeng had been worried for a long time, and when he heard what he said, he immediately stood up and walked to the cemetery to take a look, and his heart was suddenly in a knot.
Qiandeng knelt on her grandfather's tombstone, her face covered in tears, motionless, and no one knew how long she had been sitting there.
He immediately stepped forward to help her up and whispered, "County Lady, the wind in the mountain is strong. Why don't you go back to the palace and rest first?"
Qian Deng was in a trance, and looked at him with a distracted gaze for a long time before recognizing who he was: "Cui Shaoqing..."
Cui Fufeng sighed softly, helped her sit down in the leeward area, and together they looked at the towering tombstone. He asked in a low voice, "County Lady, since you and Ling Tianshui have broken up this time, it seems you didn't send him off in a proper way?"
Qiandeng pursed her lips for a long time before nodding.
Cui Fufeng sighed and said, "A gentleman would not speak ill of others even if he breaks off a friendship. Although he made a mistake, the county lady should have dealt with him properly..."
Qian Deng naturally knew. But as is often the case in the world, the more you care about and trust someone, the harder it is to tolerate their mistakes and betrayal, and the more she can't control her anger, leading to a final break between them that she fears will never be reconciled in this lifetime.
Seeing her so gloomy, Cui Fufeng was momentarily dazed, as if he could see her and Ling Tianshui trapped in the forest that day, and the two of them seemingly supporting each other and returning normally -
But he found traces of the edge of Ling Tianshui's shoes on her side.
Something happened between them that no one knew about.
Even though she concealed it at the time, in the end, she lost her normal state and control when faced with his betrayal.
Because in front of Ling Tianshui, she was no longer the calm, rational, and persistent county lord who defended the glory of her father and grandfather. She returned to being a seventeen-year-old girl.
Those deeply buried innocence, longing, impulse and attachment, he and everyone else have been seeking but cannot obtain, in this world, perhaps only Ling Tianshui has possessed them.
So when the breakup happens, it will be even more heartbreaking.
Cui Fufeng tightened his fingers, but he couldn't bear to blame her. In the end, he could only say, "The matter is done, there is no point in thinking too much. Don't worry, County Lady. No matter when and what the consequences are, Fufeng will do his best to help you bear them together."
These words were spoken solemnly, but Qian Deng had just experienced a sudden change, and his mind was distracted. He did not ponder his meaning in depth. He just stared at the tombstone of his father and grandfather, muttering softly, "Actually, it's better that Ling Tianshui is gone. After all, he and I discovered... discovered..."
Having said this, she suddenly shut up in horror and refused to mention it again.
Cui Fufeng subconsciously asked: "What did you find?"
A long wind rustled through the tall pines on the royal mausoleum, sending a roaring sound like a raging wave. Qian Deng suddenly woke from his dream and shook his head, saying, "No, Master Cui, the truth behind this is far too sinister. Without definitive evidence and certainty, I... cannot allow you to take this risk."
Cui Fufeng looked at her intently and asked, "Even with the support of the Cui family of Boling, would the county lady still be suspicious and fearful?"
He had been exploring with her all the way here. Although he was not as perceptive as her, he only needed her instant reaction to instantly know the horrific inside story hidden behind it.
Qian Deng knew that he was deeply thoughtful. Since she couldn't hide it from him, she could only say, "Mr. Cui has a bright future ahead of him. If you get involved in this mess, it will not benefit you or the Cui family."
"Perhaps... But does the county lady still remember? At the end of last summer, I told you at the manor that I didn't take good care of you during the palace coup, but you will be fine in the future."
The promise he made during that turbulent time now seemed like a lifetime ago. But he had kept it ever since, risking his life for her at the Cold Pond, abandoning his pride to enter the royal palace, and even standing up to his political enemies without hesitation to destroy the Princess Gao's palace.
How could she not know Cui Fufeng's intentions all along?
The journey was difficult and bumpy, with blood all around her and relationships broken.
Her beloved family members left her, and the men with whom she had deep or shallow feelings passed away one by one. Even Ling Tianshui, who she once thought she could completely trust and confide in, betrayed her, tearing off her usual disguise and revealing the cruel truth hidden deep inside.
Only Cui Fufeng always stood behind her, even though she had hurt him time and time again, he remained steadfast and supported her every step of the way.
He was always there waiting for her, within her reach, never letting her down, never letting her down.
Looking at the tombstones of her father and grandfather from afar, the worries that had been lingering in her heart seemed to loosen and dissipate.
Although the deaths of my grandfather and father were closely related to Cui Fufeng and King Linhuai, for my father and grandfather, it was a heroic decision to go forward even if there were thousands of people against them.
Knowing that the greater good required their sacrifice, Grandfather chose to carry out his orders without hesitation, calmly accepting his death for the Tang Dynasty. How was this any different from the countless times they had bid farewell to Grandmother, Mother, and her before leading their armies into battle?
My grandfather was a general, so he should have died in a hundred battles; Cui Fufeng was a strategist, so he should have been good at strategy; the emperor was a king, so he had to maintain stability in his government.
They all performed their duties faithfully and ultimately achieved their goals.
Her grandfather and father died for their lifelong beliefs, for the stability of the world, and also carved the most perfect ending for the little prince who escaped from Kucha in the flames.
Looking at the towering tombstones of his ancestors, Qiandeng's eyes were red and burning in the wind and pine waves. He thought, perhaps they had realized their life ideals at that moment, and even if they left, it would be a smooth journey.
"Thank you, Mr. Cui. My journey hasn't been easy, but I've been growing and working hard... It's just that I can't see the road ahead clearly yet, and I can't figure out how to move forward from now on."
His voice was as warm as ever: "If the county lady doesn't mind, perhaps you can talk to me."
"For example, Mr. Cui, my grandfather and my father both sacrificed their lives for the peace and stability of the Tang Dynasty. I've also been wondering, as a member of the Bai family, should I also carry on their legacy, embark on the path of marriage, and contribute my own strength to the peace of the Tang Dynasty and the Western Regions?"
After severing her bond with Ling Tianshui in excruciating pain, she now felt like she had given up on herself. Since she couldn't find the person her mother had pointed out before her death, she would rather sacrifice herself for the beliefs of three generations of the Bai family like her father and grandfather, and use her tiny body to add one last touch of glory to the Bai family.
But Cui Fufeng rejected her statement without hesitation, saying, "Your Highness, this is unwise. How could the stability of the Tang Dynasty and the Western Regions be affected by the sacrifice of one woman? You don't need to sacrifice your life for such a sentimental act. I believe that even the prince and the crown prince would disapprove of your considerations if they knew."
"But Mr. Cui, I keep saying I want to inherit the glory of my ancestors and continue the Bai family's splendor, but I really don't know how to do it. My great-grandmother, my grandfather, my father... they were all remarkable people, while I am limited in talent and knowledge, confined to a small corner. I feel ashamed of my ancestors. I... don't know how to carry on their legacy and not let them down."
"Indeed, your great-grandmother, Queen Guishan, led Kucha to submit to the Tang Dynasty, ending the war and suffering of Kucha and the surrounding nations and ushering in peace and prosperity in the Western Regions. Your grandfather, King Changhua, turned the tide during the Tang Dynasty's crisis and campaigned in the northwest to pacify the region. Your father sacrificed his life for the Tang Dynasty, his blood and loyalty etched in his veins. Your ancestors will all be recorded in history, their achievements immortalized through the ages."
Cui Fufeng stared at her, his voice low but full of power.
"And you, County Lady, although you are the only orphan left in the Changhua Palace, you have lived up to the aspirations of your ancestors. You have single-handedly supported the family, doing your utmost to care for your ancestors' former subordinates, to fight for the rights of women across the country, and to serve all those close to you. I believe that if your ancestors knew about this, they would be proud of you. County Lady, please do not underestimate yourself. You have truly done the best within your ability."
His words were low but full of consideration, which seemed to make the wind on the mountain stop and brought warmth to Qiandeng's empty and desolate heart.
"In fact, others may not know the hardships you've endured in your life, but I've witnessed them all while accompanying you. I hope you can find peace of mind and walk steadfastly in the direction you've chosen." His face, radiant and bright like the spring sun, expressed sincerity from the bottom of his heart. "Now that the situation has developed to this point, the road ahead is already bumpy and unpredictable, but I believe that the county lady will be fearless. No matter how dire the circumstances, she will ultimately expose the crimes and seek justice for Lady Qi and the Changhua Palace!"
The spring sun was bright and sunny. Listening to Cui Fufeng's firm words, Qiandeng seemed to finally understand the road ahead of him and where he should go.
She nodded solemnly and said slowly, "Okay, thank you, Master Cui, for your advice. I will definitely...definitely take the next step in my life."
"Please follow your heart, my lady, and give it a try." He stared at her and promised, "No matter what, I will walk with you, plot with you, and return with you."
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