Chapter 16: Birds and Fish (IV) “He promised me, promised to help me…
After going around in circles, the two finally arrived at the main hall before the wedding started and found two empty seats next to each other.
Even with Jiao Xiao's foreshadowing, Lian Qiang was still secretly amazed by the grandeur of the occasion. Leaving aside the rest, she only mentioned a single, pure crimson coral in the hall, three feet tall, reaching all the way to the roof. Everything was perfectly organized, without any of the cramped post-earthquake reconstruction.
"The Mermaid King must like this queen very much." Lian Qiang sighed inadvertently. If she just wanted to show her solemnity, this was really too much.
Chi Xingji didn't respond, but frowned slightly, as if lost in thought. Lian Qiang didn't care, and just as he turned around to look around, he suddenly spoke again: "I always feel that this scene of a room full of bright red is something I've personally experienced once before."
These words undoubtedly caused a huge uproar in Lian Qiang's heart. On the day of her wedding with Chi Xingji, although there were not many guests and Xi Wenji repeatedly told them to keep a low profile, she still did her best to replace everything she saw with bright red decorations.
Chi Xingji himself is not sociable and never attends such occasions. If he really has such a memory, it is probably only that time.
Did he remember something? Lian Qiang didn't know what the heavy emotion that was wiping out of her heart was. Her lips opened and closed, and she finally uttered only two words: "Is that so..."
The last syllable of her voice was swallowed up by the sudden, melodious singing of the mermaids. Lian Qiang didn't understand the mermaid language, but she vaguely felt that it was a song of blessing. At the same time, all the lights in the venue dimmed, and someone slowly walked in from the main gate.
The first to arrive was naturally the Mermaid King. This king, as rumored, was young and pale. While mermaids possess fair skin from years spent at the bottom of the ocean, his complexion was already faintly sickly. Despite his stunning beauty, his pale golden eyes were nearly emotionless, like a figure in a painting stripped of emotion.
Her floor-length black hair was meticulously braided, adorned with coral and pearls, and held behind her by a mermaid attendant. Her fishtail was even more beautiful, its lines flowing and slender, slightly darker than her eyes.
In comparison, the queen's attire, while grand, was not as stunning as his. As expected, the queen's long, intricate skirt lacked a fishtail, and her entire body was tightly wrapped in clothing and a veil. The only visible trace of skin was her hands.
Lian Qiang came out of her surprise. She looked at those hands carefully and felt that something was... not right.
If the Mermaid King's pale complexion was due to a long illness, then the Queen's paler complexion was... even paler. Their seats were close to the middle of the road, and Lian Qiang quietly created some obstacles in the Queen's path.
As expected, as the queen reached her, her steps became unsteady, and her body slumped, revealing a small portion of her chin, which was the same white as her hands. The person accompanying her suddenly fell, and the Mermaid King, who had been looking straight ahead with his head held high, began to move.
He turned his head to look at his wife, and his eyes finally showed some emotion, like a pool of clear water stained by coloring paint. He stared at her with concern, and the emotion of extreme love and sorrow did not seem fake at all.
The queen simply shook her head slightly, and the incident passed. When the Mermaid King withdrew his gaze, he seemed to deliberately glance in Lian Qiang's direction.
They continued forward, accompanied by the mermaids' blessings. In front of them stood a massive bronze statue of the mermaids' ancestor. The mermaid king clasped his arms in a respectful salute and said, "Today, please bear witness to the ancestors. I, Huaixu, wish to marry Qingji, and we shall be forever united in love. I only wish that we live and die together, and after a hundred years, we will be buried at sea, resting in the same tomb for eternity, and never—will I break my covenant!"
The last two words were particularly resounding, as if to shock everyone present. Indeed, one could hear a pin drop in the hall. This oath was simple, yet its meaning was profound. Even Qiang couldn't help but feel a chill down her spine.
Although she had never heard of the marriage vows of other mermaids, she was determined to tie the queen tightly to her side even after her death. If the queen was an ordinary person, she would be buried with him in the sea forever and would never see the light of day again.
Even if it were Lian Qiang in the past, she would have dared to think of the words "live and die together", but in such an occasion, not to mention making a solemn oath, she would have to think twice before saying it.
She could understand, both in the past and now, that if her lover passed away one day, she would follow him, but she could not imagine that one day she would leave first and her lover would commit suicide to accompany her.
——When the specific object becomes Chi Xingji, this matter becomes even simpler. She always hopes that he can live a better life, even if she is gone, even if Chi Xingji's feelings for her are different from her feelings for him, even if the two of them will no longer... have any connection.
But Huaixu said it anyway, and he said it with such confidence, as if it was all natural. Queen Qingji was not displeased at all when she heard it, she just bowed and kowtowed to the bronze statue.
Huai Xu looked at her, and seemed extremely satisfied with her submissive attitude, and actually smiled.
This smile made his face even more dazzling, yet it also made Lian Qiang feel even more terrified. The difference in height between the two was so obvious, one standing with arms folded, while the other was kneeling on the ground. But today was their wedding day, and after racking her brains, she could only say that their love was truly deeper than the sea and higher than the mountains, and that their unwavering love would last until death.
Perhaps unable to bear her overly vivid expression, Chi Xingji asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Lian Qiang looked back angrily, choosing her words carefully: "I've never heard of a mermaid being so... loyal before."
Chi Xingji was silent for a moment before answering, "Mermaids have always held the virtue of staying together for life. Perhaps the king wanted to set an example, so he interpreted it in an extra extreme way."
"I don't think so," Lian Qiang lowered her eyes and stared at the black lotus on the back of her hand, "If I like someone, I can't bear to see him suffer because of me."
For Lian Qiang, death is destruction and also a kind of pain that cannot be regretted.
"And the king loves the queen like a thing, wanting to keep her with him at all times while she's alive. He's given her the grandest pomp and ceremony, yet he still makes her prostrate herself at his feet, and wants to take her to the grave after she dies. What kind of love is that?"
Lian Qiang's voice was very soft, only enough for the two of them to hear. Chi Xingji listened, but did not refute her. He just said, "Don't tell anyone else about this, no matter what."
Without waiting for his answer of agreement or denial, Lian Qiang just smiled with relief: "I know."
An eerie silence fell over the two of them. Chi Xingji spoke again, "Or perhaps it's just that you both express your feelings differently. Some believe admiration should be limited and never burdensome; others, on the other hand, believe that life must be lived passionately and lingeringly."
He coughed lightly and continued, "Everyone has their own opinions. It's hard to say who is right or wrong in this matter."
Lian Qiang nodded and had no intention of arguing with him anymore.
If he really wanted to, she would definitely not be able to convince him and could only remain speechless. It would be better not to humiliate herself.
Looking forward again, the queen had already left, leaving the king to wander around in the midst of the feast. However, due to his noble status and stern expression, few dared to approach him to negotiate.
"I haven't asked before, but now I want to say something." Chi Xingji tapped the table lightly, and a barrier was erected between the two of them. "Who entrusted you with this? Why don't we talk about the matter in more detail? Perhaps we can remind each other of something."
Lian Qiang thought for a moment and realized that it was no secret that she had been working for Jiang Lang over the years. If anyone was interested and asked in the Demon Realm, they would know that the Demon Lord had a minion named Lian Qiang, who had a close relationship with him.
To be honest, Chi Xingji might be able to help her a little, or maybe for Jiang Lang's sake, he would be more polite and cautious towards her, which would make it easier for her to act in the future... Thinking of this, Lian Qiang laughed secretly in her heart.
She used to dare to sleep on Chi Xingji's back, but now she wants to use the power of others to suppress him. It's really... now is different from the past.
The only concern is Chi Xingji's position. After all, he is an immortal king. Although the immortal world has always stayed away from interfering in the disputes between humans and demons, it is inevitable that he has some opinions about the demon cultivators.
After weighing the pros and cons, Lian Qiang decided to be honest. She pointed in the direction of the demonic realm and used her demonic energy to write a single word on the table: Zun.
"He heard that the Canglang Sea has been in turmoil recently, and that some treasure might be about to appear, so he wanted to send me to investigate."
Of course, if necessary, they could just snatch it away. Lian Qiang didn't tell him this. Chi Xingji nodded to indicate that she understood, then she wiped away the evil spirit and looked at him again.
"I came down to the mortal world this time because someone asked me to do so. The person who asked me to do so was Yu Huang." Chi Xingji's voice exploded like thunder in Lian Qiang's ears.
Though the Winged People, like the Mermaids, are an alien race and technically considered demonic cultivators, they possess a profound connection to the immortal realm. Born in a land of abundant natural beauty, they are also far more favored by the Heavenly Dao than the average tribe. While mortals must laboriously cultivate to even glimpse the true meaning, they are born with wings imbued with power, allowing them to soar across mountains and seas.
It is said that when every winged person is born, a strange phenomenon will appear in the sky, from which one can get a glimpse of the person's life destiny. Most of the strange phenomena are auspicious signs, which shows the favor of heaven towards them.
"Eighteen years ago, Queen Yu gave birth to a daughter named Shaoyu. This was a happy event. The princess possessed a pair of wings that far surpassed those of other people, which should have been a double joy. However," Chi Xingji paused, "there were no unusual phenomena when the princess was born."
"No vision? Could it be a mistake?" Lian Qiang frowned.
Chi Xingji slowly shook his head: "No. There are many people in the Feather Clan who are proficient in divination and prophecy, but they all say that they can't see the princess's future. Therefore, this princess who should have been raised with precious care can only live in secrecy, and can't even have a title."
Lian Qiang had a vague premonition: "So this time when you descended to the mortal world, your commission was related to her?"
"Yes." Chi Xingji answered straightforwardly, "About half a year ago, Princess Shaoyu went out for a trip with her entourage, but she accidentally got separated from them. Some say that she was last seen near Canglang Sea.
"Yu Huang is of noble status and dares not go out easily. He can only ask for help. He also hopes to find someone who will not leak the news and is familiar with the lower realm. I am the most recent person to ascend to the upper realm in the past hundred years, so Yu Huang came to me.
"The Feather Emperor stated that Princess Shaoyu, though young, knew the importance of her actions and would never disappear on purpose. This leaves the only possibility left: she was lured away by someone. The timing of her disappearance coincides with the frequent occurrence of shipwrecks, and the fact that the Mermaid King was getting married at this time... There are simply too many coincidences."
Chi Xingji's story unfolded slowly and steadily. Lian Qiang already felt that this matter was troublesome and overwhelmed. She had never expected that in just a hundred years, Chi Xingji would become so helpful. So she casually asked, "What did he promise the Immortal Lord? Can I ask you for help?"
"He promised me that he would help me recover some of my past."
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