Chapter 239 At Least I Didn't Have to Go to the Ends of the Earth to Seek Death
Crown Prince
After a fierce battle, everyone was injured to some extent. Feng Shisan had new wounds on top of old ones, but luckily he had thick blood and could withstand it. Even the imperial physician was amazed. Most of the others had minor injuries that could be treated with bandages and medicine. The one with the most serious and difficult-to-treat injuries was Lu Xiaojun.
"That shouldn't be happening!" Guan Ye stamped her foot anxiously. "That sword wasn't fatal. Wan Qixi looks tough, how could he not be saved? No, I have to go check on him."
Ajiu grabbed Guan Ye, "You two argue until you're red in the face the moment you meet. Are you going to see him because you want him to die quickly?"
"A-Jiu?" Guan Ye was furious. "I only disliked him because he was Wan Qixi, but he's Lu Xiaojun now, and he's practically my senior brother. Would I want him dead?"
"In short, you're not allowed to go." Ajiu took a few steps, afraid that Guan Ye would catch up, and gritted her teeth and said, "If you want him dead, then go ahead and do it."
"You!" Guan Ye insisted on doing whatever A Jiu forbade her to do, but she reluctantly took a step back. A Jiu's mouth was too harsh. If she went and Lu Xiaojun really died, wouldn't that just prove A Jiu's foul mouth right?
Inside the bedroom, Wushuang was feeding Lu Xiaojun medicine, but Lu Xiaojun's lips were tightly closed and he couldn't get it down. Wushuang gently shook his arm and called out "Uncle" over and over again, but he couldn't awaken Lu Xiaojun's will to live.
The imperial physician said that Lu Xiaojun should be determined to die, and even a god descending to earth couldn't save her.
Wushuang couldn't understand why Lu Xiaojun didn't want to live anymore, now that Mu You was dead and her great revenge had been achieved.
“Your uncle lived for his obsession. Once that obsession was resolved, that energy within him dissipated.” Ajiu pushed open the door, looked at Lu Xiaojun with her eyes closed, and took the medicine bowl from the hands of the woman. “Let me do it.”
Wushuang shook her head and said, "He is clearly awake, but he refuses to take his medicine and won't let the imperial physician bandage his wounds. The imperial physician said that he will die in three days. It's not like he can't be saved, so why does he have to die? Uncle, answer me, you've already avenged him, why don't you live well and live with me?"
Ah Jiu stirred the medicine, glanced at Lu Xiaojun, and said, "He resolved one obsession, but there is another obsession. He doesn't have the courage to resolve this one, so he can only die with it."
"Uncle still has an unresolved obsession?" Wushuang asked in surprise, noticing Lu Xiaojun's eyelids twitch slightly until Ajiu hit the nail on the head.
Ajiu nodded, "If I'm not mistaken, Guan Ye's father died at his hands."
"He really killed Guan Xiaotian?!" Wushuang exclaimed in shock.
"Regarding the Blood Crossbow case, he firmly believed that Guan Xiaotian was also involved. He had no other way to seek revenge, so he could only kill one person at a time. In Tangshui City, he killed Guan Xiaotian, and he almost took Guan Ye's life as well." Ajiu said while glancing at Lu Xiaojun's expression. "But he is not a cruel and ruthless person. He had the intention to kill Guan Ye, but he still couldn't bring himself to do it. He let Guan Ye go, and even... he saved Guan Ye."
“Lu Xiaojun,” Ajiu called him by his name, “You must be Hu Xian.”
Lu Xiaojun's eyelids twitched in surprise, and she slowly opened her eyes. "How did you know?"
“I guessed.” Ajiu smiled smugly and brought the medicine bowl closer to him. “How about you drink this medicine and I’ll tell you?”
Lu Xiaojun scoffed and tilted her head, saying, "Don't give me that. When I was making my way in the martial world, you weren't even born yet. Say what you want, I'd rather die soon."
Ajiu looked at Wushuang and asked, "Your mother and he made a promise to meet at sea every year on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, right?"
“Yes,” Wushuang said. “It was my sister who told me, which is why I escaped onto his ship that day. I knew he would appear.”
Ajiu revealed a knowing smile, "The waters around Canglang Island are full of reefs. Even with the morning mist as cover, it's impossible that it has never been discovered over the years. Your uncle made a deal with Xingguofang in order to see you."
"A transaction?" Wushuang asked, puzzled.
Ajiu peeked at Lu Xiaoyun, who was pretending to be asleep, and said, "Your uncle is a born businessman. He's not only good at trading iron ore, but he's also extremely skilled at negotiating with people. With his silver tongue, it wouldn't be difficult for him to persuade Pei Yuan. He saw that there were fewer and fewer eligible young men on Canglang Island, and if this continued, the island would become extinct. Most importantly, he knew that Pei Yuan was not willing to remain hidden forever. He harbored a deep desire to leave the island. To leave the island, he needed capable people, especially blacksmiths and swordsmen. He managed to meet with Pei Yuan and proposed to smuggle people for Xingguo Ward. This way, he could legitimately roam the waters outside the island, not only to know what was happening on the island, but also to take the opportunity to spy on you and your mother."
Ah Jiu coughed. "If you don't say anything, it means you agree with what I said."
Lu Xiaojun snorted, "It's not complicated, it's not hard to guess."
“What you feel guilty about is not only killing Guan Xiaotian, but also killing many people to keep the secret. The whole ship was full of innocent young people.” Ajiu lowered her voice. “You didn’t care how many people you killed for revenge, but once you got your revenge, the killings you committed became your torment. You felt that you shouldn’t live, so you were willing to die without treatment to atone for your sins.”
"Why don't you just give me a sword?" Lu Xiaojun opened her eyes narrowed, her fingertip pointing at her heart. "I don't deserve to live, I only ask for a quick death."
Ajiu poured the medicine from the bowl onto the ground. "Guan Xiaotian is my father-in-law. If you kill him, not only will Guan Ye kill you if she finds out, but I want your life right now."
"You dare!" Wushuang reached for her sword. "My uncle, if you kill him, I will kill you."
"Hahahaha." Ajiu laughed. "Yesterday we were going to live and die together, and now it's a fight to the death. Lu Xiaojun, your niece is just like you."
Wushuang raised her head and said, "I will kill you and then commit suicide to atone for my sins. I am not a person who turns black into white. I understand that murderers should pay with their lives. My uncle killed someone, so I will pay for his life. It will not be in vain that he protected us sisters."
“I’m not someone who doesn’t know how to adapt,” Ajiu continued. “I know you’re too ashamed to see Guan Ye, so I’m not letting her see you. She says you’re her senior brother, and if she knew you were her father’s killer, killing you wouldn’t make her happy, and not killing you would only make her more miserable. Killing you or not killing you is not a good thing, so… I came up with another way.”
"What method?" Wushuang asked urgently.
Ah Jiu paused for a moment and then said, "I want him to suffer a fate worse than death."
Just as Wushuang was about to start cursing, she suddenly realized, "Worse than death?"
"Lu Xiaojun, you're not even afraid of death, but do you have the courage to spend your whole life paying back, paying back Guan Ye, and paying back everyone you pushed into the deep sea?"
Lu Xiaojun gestured for Wushuang to help her sit up. "What do you want me to do?"
Ah Jiu asked with a meaningful smile, "Is your boat still there?"
"Yes, it's docked at Rongdu's pier..." Lu Xiaoyun suddenly realized, "You want me to..."
Ajiu looked at Wushuang again, "They will eventually have to go back. It just depends on whether you are willing to help them on their way."
Lu Xiaojun gently stroked Wushuang's cheek, her eyes full of pity. "If it could atone for the sins I have committed, I would be willing to help people for a lifetime, let alone just one journey. I'm just afraid that I could never repay them in this lifetime. I might as well pay with my life."
Ajiu shook her head. "Your life can't save them, and it will only cause heartache to the living. I only ask that you never let Guan Ye know that her father died at your hands. That way, in her heart, you will always be her senior brother. She doesn't have many relatives left in the world, and she'll be secretly happy to know that she still has a senior brother."
“This girl…” Lu Xiaojun choked back tears, “She had no idea that she almost… died at my hands.”
Ah Jiu stood up and said, "Have someone brew another dose of medicine. Your health is not as good as Feng Shisan's. You might really succumb to your injuries."
Lu Xiaojun lowered her head bitterly, her narrow eyes bloodshot.
This was the longest day of Guan Ye's life, so long that she thought it was coming to an end, but it wasn't even midnight yet. Guan Ye leaned against the corridor, took out the short sword from her bosom, and caressed it tenderly. This sword... was forged by her father for Lu Xiaojun. The horizontal sword that her father forged for herself was in Lu Xiaojun's hands. After all the twists and turns, she met and got to know her senior brother. Finally, Tianhu Workshop still had a flame. Her father would be gratified if he were in heaven.
The most despicable one is Ajiu. Why won't she let her see her senior brother? Guan Ye still has so many questions for her senior brother. They disliked each other from the very first meeting, but if Lu Xiaojun really dies, she will have no senior brother left. No, she still has to go see him.
Guan Ye jumped up and suddenly saw a familiar figure walking towards her. The night was hazy, and the lanterns in the corridor flickered on and off. Guan Ye recognized the person, but hesitated and dared not call out. The two people looked more and more alike, so much so that Guan Ye had to look more closely.
"Thank you for your sword today." Mu Chenbi's voice was low and gentle, as soft as a piece of jade.
Guan Ye gripped the short sword tightly and tucked it behind her back. "You should thank yourself. If you hadn't sharpened it, he wouldn't have been able to protect anyone. Mu Chenbi, thank you."
Mu Chenbi opened his mouth as if to speak but then stopped. He wanted to ask Guan Ye what her plans were for the future. Plans? Wasn't she going to be with A Jiu? He had already foreseen the ending, and he didn't want to hear Guan Ye say it.
“You will surely become a wise and benevolent ruler,” Guan Ye exclaimed. “I believe you can do it.”
"What do you still believe in me for?" Mu Chenbi raised his phoenix-feather eyelashes, and his pupils beneath them lit up.
Guan Ye avoided Mu Chenbi's burning gaze, leaning against the pillar and playing with the short sword in her hand. "I believe everything you've said."
"Believe me, I am willing to walk alongside you, to help you overcome obstacles and achieve your goals?" Mu Chenbi leaned down to examine Guan Ye's expression. Seeing Guan Ye looking flustered and evasive, he suddenly found it interesting.
"I believe you." Guan Ye raised her head without thinking, but she raised it too abruptly and her forehead bumped into Mu Chenbi's chin. They both cried out in pain and laughed at the same time.
Mu Chenbi rubbed his chin with one hand and stroked Guan Ye's forehead with the other. Guan Ye no longer dodged, feeling the warmth of his palm, her expression open and honest.
"I don't want you to leave, but I have to let go." Mu Chenbi mustered his courage. "You are a treasure of the Great Jin Dynasty. You should not lie dormant. You should shine in the sun and moon and release your most brilliant light. Love between men and women is not just about romance. I have feelings for you, but also loyalty. Guan Ye, I will definitely keep my promise to you, and you must keep yours too."
Guan Ye leaned close to Mu Chenbi, brushed back the black hair on his forehead, and gently pressed her fingertips against the scar on his left eyebrow. Mu Chenbi froze, feeling Guan Ye's caress, and a sense of pleasure welled up inside him.
“The scar on your brow bone looks a lot like A-Jiu’s.” Guan Ye saw the scar clearly and gently let down her black hair. “But you are you, and A-Jiu is A-Jiu. The scar makes you look even more imposing.”
Mu Chenbi laughed with relief, feeling much more relaxed after saying what he had been holding back. He suddenly had the idea to tease Guan Ye, and was about to press his forehead against hers when he was suddenly enveloped by something. Looking down, he saw that Guan Ye had already wrapped her arms around him.
"Guan Ye..." Mu Chenbi opened his arms. He longed for her, but he dared not.
Guan Ye pressed her shoulder against Mu Chenbi's and whispered, "The road ahead is long and arduous, Mu Chenbi, you and I must make it."
"Will you and Ajiu... leave Rongdu?" Mu Chenbi asked nervously. He was afraid that Guan Ye would go to the ends of the earth and never see her again in this life.
Guan Ye's forehead twitched slightly. "Why do I want to leave? My parents were born and raised in Rongdu. I'm practically a citizen of the capital. I haven't even lived in the house my father bought yet. Once the house is taken back, I'm going to renovate it properly and open a workshop in Rongdu. I've already thought of a name... it'll be called..."
"You've thought it through but can't bring yourself to call me?" Mu Chenbi finally responded to Guan Ye's embrace. He hugged Guan Ye back with a sense of relief, as if he were holding a precious gem, cherishing it so much that he couldn't bear to desecrate it. "How about I think of something for you?"
“No,” Guan Ye refused. “I don’t want a name bestowed by the emperor; I want to choose one myself.”
Mu Chenbi laughed heartily. As long as they don't have to go to the ends of the earth, and as long as they can see each other whenever they want, that's all that matters.
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