Chapter 81 The Way of a Man: He Will Taste the Bitterness of Forgetting
After that parting, Pei Xiaoyun truly did not send anyone to disturb Mingying again.
She was only willing to back down a little, and he knew that things would turn out the other way around, so he couldn't push her too hard.
I heard that she is sometimes busy in various incense shops, and occasionally goes to Jinyun Tower to play the pipa, but she goes to Jinyun Tower less often and plays the pipa less often.
He seemed to never see her again, the fourteen-year-old girl in the pristine snow, too afraid to look up, clutching a pipa tightly, obediently following him.
Even if you try your best to salvage the situation, it's too late to recover.
But it seems that things aren't beyond repair. As long as she doesn't avoid him or leave him, he's content.
The door was knocked open, bringing him back to his senses. His subordinate rushed in and said a few words to him.
Upon hearing that person's name, his eyes flashed with a fierce light, and a dark expression rose on his face. He twitched his wrist, which was resting on his knee: "Don't let him into Langzhou City. Drive him away."
The subordinate accepted the order and withdrew.
He called out to the man again: "Just drive him away, but be mindful of the consequences. I want people to live."
If anything were to happen to Lin Xian at this critical juncture, Ming Ying would definitely blame him.
Regardless of whether she had any feelings for Lin Xian, the fact that he was alive couldn't stop him.
As long as they don't meet in Long State, that's enough.
In the afternoon, the courtyard was bright with sunlight, and several birds chased each other on the branches. Pei Xiaoyun heard their chirping and all her illness and depression vanished.
He could now get up on his own, put on an inconspicuous lake-blue round-necked robe, and looked as if he was about to leave the mansion, without saying where he was going.
His injuries had not yet fully healed, and sometimes the wounds would suddenly flare up and bleed easily. His attendants were genuinely worried about the emperor's health and rushed forward, asking, "Your Majesty, where are you going? You are still injured."
Pei Xiaoyun straightened his cuffs and hem, then adjusted his hair ornament in front of the mirror. Apart from being a little pale, he looked alright in the mirror and was unlikely to displease her. He waved away the people who followed him: "I am much better. I can walk around. I don't need anyone to follow me."
The servants dared not follow him any further, nor did they know where he was going.
The largest incense shop in Langzhou was called E Li Fang. The owner of E Li Fang paid a high price to hire Ming Ying to work as an incense maker at the shop for a few days.
Mingying had stayed in Langzhou for so many days, and Shen Yao, who was far away in the northwest, was worried about her. She couldn't sit still any longer and came to Langzhou alone. Only when she saw that Mingying was safe and sound did she feel relieved.
They received their wages and became chefs at the pear workshop.
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the opening of Goose Pear House. To celebrate their anniversary, Mingying has developed a uniquely scented sachet.
The owner decided to give this batch of incense away for free to one hundred new and old customers. The new incense was missing a name. If any customer could come up with a good name for the incense and it was unanimously approved by the four incense makers, they would be entitled to a 50% discount on incense purchases for six months.
Two firecrackers were set off early in the morning at Goose Pear Shop, attracting a large influx of customers. The aroma wafting from the shop drew people of all ages to stop and admire.
Customers would suggest names for the incense on a piece of paper, which would then be presented by the staff and reviewed by the four masters.
Soon, the first piece of paper was passed up. The first two female masters frowned after reading it and passed it to Mingying.
Mingying glanced at the words on the paper, shook her head and said, "This name is bad; it taints my incense."
The paper had four characters written on it: Under the Peony Blossom.
Shen Yao was also furious when she saw this, and spat out, "Where did this frivolous and dissolute fellow come from!"
The names that were passed up afterward were all unacceptable; they were either commonplace or completely devoid of any poetic meaning.
The last person presented a piece of paper with three words written on it: "Wash away the grease."
The first three people looked at it and all thought the name was good, nodding in approval.
"Xi Ningzhi, a good name." Shen Yao showed the item to Ming Ying.
Mingying tilted her head and caught a glimpse of the writing out of the corner of her eye. The strokes were sharp, winding, and powerful.
Upon seeing those familiar words, her expression shifted slightly, and her gaze immediately fell upon the crowd.
She neither said the name was good nor bad, and since all three of them had voted in favor, the name Xi Ningzhi was finally chosen.
The owner repeatedly praised, "After discussion, we have decided to name our new incense 'Washing Away the Skin.' I wonder which distinguished guest, with such exceptional talent, is entitled to a 50% discount."
Pei Xiaoyun strolled out of the crowd with a leisurely air.
Mingying was not surprised at all. She knew it was him just by looking at the words. How dare he come looking for her? Unconsciously, she crumpled the paper with his words in her palm.
Pei Xiaoyun was traveling incognito to inspect the post-war reconstruction of the city and to see what she was doing.
No one in Langzhou recognized him, and the owner of Elifang, seeing his extraordinary attire, assumed he was a wealthy young man.
"Young master, you are a man of exceptional appearance and bearing. May I ask your surname?"
“His surname is Lu.” Pei Xiaoyun casually picked a surname, his gaze falling on Ming Ying sitting not far away.
"Young Master Lu, in addition to the discount, our store will also give you three boxes of cleansing cream free of charge."
Pei Xiaoyun had no intention of answering him. He had come here simply to see her, not to actually name the spices.
He met her gaze, but she turned her eyes away first, no longer looking at him.
He was relieved to see that she was doing well in Langzhou, had her own things to do, and was doing them so comfortably.
When a person is willing to live a good life, it means that their heart is loosening up to some extent and they are gradually letting go of the past.
His joy was incomparable; he could only feel his heart pounding.
Upon entering the Goose Pear Shop, he only took three boxes of Washing Cream, because it was the fragrance she made, and he had named it after her.
She used to know how to make incense. She said her mother was skilled in this craft and sometimes made incense to sell to supplement the family income. When she was a child, she often helped her mother grind incense.
Later, she used this skill on him, always making scented sachets and stuffing them into his sachet, which he would then hang on his waist, so that wherever he went, there would be a faint fragrance.
He has an excellent memory; he can recall any of these things she has told him.
But when she needed his support the most, he ignored her. Looking back now, he was a little too late.
Inside the pear shop, Mingying took the initiative to find him. Standing in a sparsely populated area, she said to him, "Chen Yao said that Lin Xian came to Langzhou several days ago, but I haven't seen him yet. Is that your doing? What did you do to him? He has amnesia and doesn't remember anything. Are you still not willing to let him go?"
Pei Xiaoyun slowly opened the box containing the sachets, and a cool and calming scent wafted out, instantly making him feel refreshed. He smiled and said, "I just sent him back; I won't hurt him, so don't worry."
Fearing she wouldn't believe him, he added, "You two are completely innocent, why would I hurt him?"
He was so enraged by her deception that he thought she really liked Lin Xian, so he used Lin Xian to threaten her, which only pushed her further away.
He will not harm that person unless that person shows up.
Mingying glanced at him indifferently; he spoke as if he had never indiscriminately killed innocent people.
“I promised you I wouldn’t kill anyone in front of you, and I still remember that,” Pei Xiaoyun said to her.
Mingying didn't want to listen to him and turned to go into the store: "Go away, I don't want to see you, don't come looking for me."
“Aying.” Pei Xiaoyun suddenly grabbed her arm, his tone softening, “Don’t treat me like this. I’m lying in my room all day with nothing to do. I’m afraid you won’t want to see me, so I don’t dare send anyone to look for you.”
Mingying shook off his hand and sneered, "Do you think that just because you showed up in front of me without permission, I'd want to see you?"
He didn't grab her wrist very hard; Mingying shook it off and pulled her arm away, turning around.
Pei Xiaoyun's arm hung limply at his side, swaying slightly. Seeing that she was about to leave, his brows furrowed. "I have found the Longevity Grass, which can help your brother recover. You must come back with me to see it."
Mingying stopped in her tracks, then slowly turned around to look at him: "That herb, is it really useful?"
If it's truly useful, it's something he owed his brother, and he should repay it.
“He Lianqing said it has miraculous effects. Even if you don’t believe me,” Pei Xiaoyun pursed her lips, her throat tightening, “you should still believe him, right?”
Perhaps he is the least important one in her heart now.
"I'll take you to see him, and we'll get He Lianqing's help as soon as possible to prepare the medicine."
Mingying remained silent and followed him to the mansion.
He actually found the Longevity Grass that grows in the Western Continent. Well, he is the emperor now, what can't he get?
The grass looked no different from ordinary medicinal herbs, except that the tips of its leaves were speckled with bluish-purple, and the scent it emitted was different from that of ordinary medicinal herbs. It was undoubtedly the Longevity Grass.
She watched quietly, hoping that this herb could truly help her brother recover.
Pei Xiaoyun walked to her side: "I heard that more than one plant grows in Xizhou every year. I have sent people to search for it. Once another plant is found, I will prepare medicine for you to take. Your body has suffered too much pain."
He could almost clearly feel how much pain he endured the night he drank the abortifacient, the day he gave birth, and the night he miscarried after taking the Five Elements Herb…
Mingying was clearly stunned for a moment, and when she spoke again, her breath was a little heavy: "I don't need it. You just need to repay my brother. He is the most innocent. I hope you will keep your word and never go back on your word."
After speaking, he made a move to leave.
"Ah Ying!" Pei Xiaoyun was unwilling to watch her leave like this. He leaned on the table, his blood rushing to his head, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
He had injured his internal organs, which were not yet fully healed, and the sudden surge of anger caused him to vomit blood.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" Attendants rushed forward to help him up.
Mingying turned around, looked at his weak state, and slowly walked forward.
Pei Xiaoyun stubbornly waved his hand, ordering the servants to leave. He sat on the armchair, panting. As she drew closer, his emotions surged, and his breathing became increasingly rapid. He revealed his blood-stained white teeth and suddenly laughed.
He could tell that she was still worried about him, and seeing him vomit blood, she couldn't bring herself to leave.
His expression hardened, a strange glint in his dark pupils, as he continued to speak of wanting to gather the Longevity Grass to nourish her body: "I've said it before, if you want to punish me, you can do whatever you want to me, I will never resist, but don't use your body to repay me. This is what I want to make up for. Even if... we can't go back to the way things were, I still hope you live well."
"If one day you really leave before me, I will come to find you immediately. But I'm afraid that we'll be separated by life and death, and I won't be able to find you."
He recalled the funeral he had witnessed by the roadside that day, and the lingering fear still gripped his heart. He moved his thin lips with difficulty: "If you can live, then live well."
They should both live to a ripe old age, and he can spend more time making it up to her. Perhaps one day, she will forgive him.
"I really just want to make it up to you, please promise me? Don't refuse what I give you."
In the deep silence, in the distance, a maidservant carried a bowl of brewed medicine and climbed the steps one by one.
His absurd and stubborn words echoed in Mingying's ears. Her mind went blank, and her almond-shaped eyes were filled with gloom. She answered him in one word: "We'll see."
She wanted to live to be a hundred, but she didn't want to live to be a hundred by his side.
Even though he has changed, she still can't forget every tear she shed in the past. No matter how good the medicine is, it can only heal the physical pain, but it can't soothe the wound in her heart.
She couldn't give him a chance; she had already lost miserably before and couldn't afford to gamble on what a high and mighty emperor might do in the future.
Giving him a chance is hurting yourself.
If he can't forget, she will help him forget.
She took the medicine from the maid, her fingers touching the rim of the bowl, a warm sensation swirling around her palm...
After a moment, she composed herself, turned around, and placed the medicine on the table in front of him, her words devoid of any emotion: "The war against the Wuhuan is not over yet. I hope you can recover. The people of the Northwest need you."
Pei Xiaoyun naturally knew all this; he knew his own body was still strong enough not to die.
He couldn't wait any longer. He touched the medicine bowl that still held the warmth of her palm, and a surge of joy beat through his chest: "Don't worry, with you here, I won't die."
Mingying lowered her eyes and stood quietly beside him, watching him drink the medicine.
The medicine slid down his throat and into his stomach little by little. She gripped the medicine bottle in her sleeve tightly, her heart pounding faster and faster. That indescribable thing was not pleasure; perhaps only helplessness could describe it.
If you can't let go of your obsession, then let's just look at each other from afar.
This was the same method he had used on her before.
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Author's Note: There are about 20,000 to 30,000 words left in the main story. It'll be over soon, a happy ending! There are multiple endings in the epilogue. Could you please give me some of your spare nutrient solution? [crying emoji]
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