46 Chapter 46
◎Your intention is the same as mine◎
The water in the kettle has boiled, and steam is rising from it.
The young man wore a plain-colored robe and a white fox fur cloak. His hair was loosely tied up at his temples with a plain hairpin, cascading down like a waterfall of satin black silk. His wounds had not yet fully healed, and there was a hint of red at the corners of his eyes, like a red plum blossom added to the cold, snowy landscape.
The third kind of stunning beauty that neither jade nor snow could conceal.
The boy looked at her with gentle and calm eyes, his smile genuinely happy for her.
Xie Yutang curled her fingers and lowered her gaze.
Yes, she is no longer the empress.
She has no unrequited love, no imprisonment in the palace, and no need to compromise and waste her life. In this life, she is free and has choices.
But what about him?
He was also reborn and learned his true identity.
Everyone knows how much the King of Beirong loves his daughter. As Tuoba Shu's only surviving child, he could have easily returned to Beirong and lived a life of luxury and wealth.
If he wanted to stay in Dayan, he could join the army. From riding, archery, and swordsmanship to leading troops and deploying formations, he was top-notch in everything. In addition, with the soldiers he had led in his previous life, the rivers he had crossed, and the enemy armies he had fought against, it was not impossible for him to even plot for the throne.
Every single one of them is a broad road adorned with blooming flowers.
But why did he insist on working under her, the empress who died young?
The head of the guards, no matter how nicely you put it, is still her attendant.
How can you compare to the young marquis or the great general?
The young man picked up the kettle and poured water into the teacup. Xie Yutang gently pressed the young man's fingers on the kettle handle: "The young master is injured and should not drink alcohol. Tonight, let's have tea instead of wine and chat with the young master, shall we?"
Su Lu nodded: "I will speak frankly and without reservation."
The tea is poured into the cup, its color a vibrant green, like tender buds just beginning to bloom in spring, with a fresh aroma spreading from the winter snow.
Xie Yutang pushed the first cup of tea towards him and asked his first question: "Why did you choose me?"
The question was direct yet vague, and Su Lu understood instantly.
This question has nothing to do with romance, but rather with the heart.
He took the Spirit Control Instruction and willingly entrusted his life to her, letting her completely control him.
Why?
Su Lu looked at her, his voice soft but solemn: "Because of the Nine Chapters on Governing the Country."
The teacup trembled, and a drop of hot tea splashed onto Xie Yutang's tiger's mouth. It was like a handful of charcoal that had been extinguished for a long time suddenly encountering a spark, and the heat gradually flowed from his limbs to his heart.
That was written in her previous life in the imperial harem.
She showed it to Lin Tan, hoping to discuss strategies for governing the country with him. However, Lin Tan only flipped through a few pages before exclaiming, "Ridiculous," "Childish," and "Wishful thinking." He said, "Tangtang, you are my Empress. Why don't you think more about me? Instead, you're thinking about supervising me and taking away my power!"
She said that what she was sharing was not Lin Tan's power, but the imperial power. Power cannot be monopolized; if it is monopolized, there will be no control, and if there is no control, there will be chaos, and if there is chaos, the country will be in danger.
But Lin Tan wouldn't listen. The next day, news came that the emperor had spent the night in Consort Guo's palace. Lin Tan loved Consort Guo for her gentle nature, her obedience, her waiting for him, and her dependence on him. He said to Xie Yutang, "You should be more accommodating to a woman like Consort Guo. She's not like you. She can't live without me." He said that Consort Guo had pricked her finger while embroidering a handkerchief for him, and the bright red blood droplet was as big as a bean. Lin Tan spoke with such heartache, but Xie Yutang only sneered, "When a soldier on the border loses his hand, I don't see you feel any heartache."
...
And so the two spoke less and less. Xie Yutang shelved the book "Nine Chapters on Governing the Country" and never opened it again, nor did he mention it to anyone else.
Unexpectedly, decades later, I heard about recognizing someone from my past life in this future life from his own mouth.
Su Lu carefully collected and organized her belongings one by one. He still remembers the amazement and shock he felt when he saw the nine strategies.
"All corvée labor, except for urgent tasks related to border defense and water conservancy, shall be suspended..."
"Taxes should also be reduced..."
"Commission the legal scholars to compile the national laws..."
From nurturing the people and ensuring their well-being, to upholding discipline and promoting integrity, to restraining imperial power and selecting virtuous and capable individuals, and then to cultivating talent, promoting education, clarifying laws, and rectifying the system.
The woman's handwriting was delicate yet ruthless, shattering the heavy burdens on the people's shoulders. Though she lived in the dark depths of the palace, she saw the common people of the world.
How can those courtiers who wield power but only know how to manipulate power and form cliques compare?
After the initial amazement and shock came deep regret.
He regretted that he had failed to protect her.
I hate that idiot Lin Tan, so stupid and dull that she can't distinguish between beauty and ugliness.
But now, he has never felt so lucky.
I hope to meet her again and follow her.
I can also tell her in person—I have read your "Nine Chapters on Governing the Country," and I share your sentiments.
Su Lu carefully processed and folded his various emotions, keeping them safely stored in his heart. Xie Yutang watched as he opened his palm, where a jade pendant lay quietly.
The jade pendant had no inscriptions, only a few lines outlining some unintelligible patterns at the top.
It was the one that she returned at Guyue Tower.
The young man offered the jade pendant again, holding it up in front of her, his voice almost pious.
"I also really want to see how the Nine Strategies are implemented in Yanzhou."
Xie Yutang stared at the jade pendant in the young man's palm, and waited patiently without rushing or urging him.
After a while, Xie Yutang picked up the jade pendant, which still carried the warmth of the young man's palm. The light snowy scent gradually seeped into her fingertips as she rubbed it.
She recalled Helou Wulan's expression when she saw the jade pendant, and paused: "Is there anything special about this jade pendant?"
After hearing his explanation, Xie Yutang raised an eyebrow: "It's actually a token of your Northern Rong royal family?"
No wonder Helou Wulan looked strange. It was just like the Emperor of Da Yan giving away his personal seal to someone else. It was so crazy that it left her speechless and dumbfounded.
“Not entirely,” Su Lu said. “The selection of jade pendants requires each clan chief to submit a petition to the king, and the king must personally grant the pendant after approval. But my mother… she cut a piece from her own jade pendant, polished and carved it herself, and made this jade pendant. If I want to return to Beirong, I can take this jade pendant to Tuoba Cangjue, and he will recognize it.”
He casually uttered the name of the Northern Rong King, but it didn't feel out of place. Xie Yutang looked at the young man in front of him. Such a handsome face, just sitting there, was enough to make people unable to look away. Even if Tuoba Cangjue was called by his surname to his face, he would probably just grin happily and think that he really had a good grandson.
"In your past life...did you recognize them?"
Su Lu shook his head: "No."
Xie Yutang remained silent.
He was not favored by Su Chengyu, and he could not obtain any resources from him. All his honors were earned by him through his own battles, and his hands were stained with the blood of countless Northern Rong soldiers. How could he possibly acknowledge them again?
"Then what are you now..."
As if knowing what she was about to say, the boy gently interrupted her, his words carrying a hint of grievance, a plea that was both a request and a command: "You can't abandon me."
She accepted his jade pendant, so she became his owner; she couldn't abandon him, much less drive him away.
Xie Yutang couldn't stand this kind of gaze. It was like a puppy, all wet and fuzzy. What was worse, this was the young Prince Muqing from her past life. She was used to his aloof and unapproachable demeanor. Who could resist this contrast?
She coughed lightly and looked away: "Now that the peace talks between Dayan and Beirong have been initially settled and the trade markets are about to open, based on my past life, there should be a period of peace. However, since the root of the conflict has not been resolved, war will break out again sooner or later. At that time, you..."
In the previous life, this period of peace lasted until Lin Tan ascended the throne. Both countries had new emperors who were eager to compete for supremacy. The new emperor of the Northern Rong even led his troops on a personal expedition, and the morale of the army was high.
Unfortunately, they were facing Su Lu.
The young general was invincible, and good news kept pouring in, filling the capital of Da Yan with joy.
On the day Su Lu returned in triumph, Lin Tan led all the civil and military officials to personally welcome him at the city gate. Xie Yutang stood next to Lin Tan, and her eyes met his unintentionally. After a moment, the young man looked away and casually accepted the wine cup that Lin Tan handed him. However, when he turned his neck, she noticed a thin pink blush under his ear.
Xie Yutang paused for a moment, then chuckled.
From then on, this young killing god, whom everyone revered and avoided at all costs, was nothing more than a half-grown boy in her eyes.
“I believe in Your Highness.” Su Lu’s voice was very soft, as if it could penetrate the snow and wind of the northern desert and the poetic and colorful capital of Dayan. From the past life to the present life, every word was like a morning bell and evening drum striking into her heart. “The person who can write the Nine Strategies is definitely not a bloodthirsty and warlike person. In Your Highness’s heart, war is not simply for killing.”
Xie Yutang looked up in surprise: "Why is that?"
Su Lujing said, "Use soldiers to stop soldiers, and wage war to end war."
The grievances, misunderstandings, and self-doubts of the past life... all these noises that have been rising and falling in the depths of my heart, echoing incessantly in every midnight dream or daytime glimpse—came to an abrupt halt in the face of these eight words.
All was silent, and the world was clear and bright.
It turns out there really is someone who understands her.
She didn't realize she was crying until water droplets fell onto the table.
Su Lu raised his hand and gently wiped away her tears. Just as his fingertips touched her cheek, Xie Yutang grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards her, burying her head in his chest.
The boy froze completely.
The aroma of tea, the moonlight, the smell of charcoal fire, and the warmth of the girl's body instantly overwhelmed him. She held him tightly, her hair brushing against his chin, and her strong, unique scent domineeringly permeated every breath he took.
It's like... I'm going to die.
He dared not move. Even though he knew she was just seeking comfort, and that it would make no difference if it were anyone else sitting here instead of him who had been reborn, he still couldn't stop trembling from his heart to his fingertips.
His wrist, which she had held, still retained her warmth. She placed one hand on his waist and the other around his shoulder... Both were injured areas, and although they were very painful, the tightness in the pain created a kind of pleasure, making him want to feel even more pain.
The boy silently adjusted his position, finding the most comfortable angle for her, letting her hug him, his shoulders slowly becoming damp.
Having lived two lifetimes, his love life is still a complete blank.
In the military camp and the court, most of the people were men. Apart from the few scattered memories of his childhood with his mother, he had never had any close interactions with women, let alone... such physical contact where skin was separated by fabric without leaving a single gap.
Unseen by anyone, he raised and lowered his hands, hesitating several times before finally mustering the courage to carefully lift them. Just as he was about to embrace her back, the girl suddenly looked up, naturally rising from his arms, brushing the hair that clung to her cheeks, and took a deep breath: "I won't let you lose."
Su Lu was silently hiding his hands in his sleeves when he suddenly heard this sentence and looked up at her.
Xie Yutang looked down at the jade pendant in his hand: "Now that you've chosen me, feel free to come with me."
"This time, watch me lead you to victory."
Like a clear spring bursting through the thin mist, Su Lu stared intently at the girl before him. Her nose was slightly red, and tiny water droplets clung to her eyelashes, yet she was so dazzling, like the moon, making one yearn for her.
He nodded solemnly: "Okay."
He will watch closely and see if she wins.
Xie Yutang handed the jade pendant to him: "Put it on for me."
She's the one who hugs people, and she's also the one who turns her back on them; she completely controls the rhythm of things.
Su Lu found it somewhat amusing but said nothing. He obediently took the jade pendant from her hand, untied the knots in the thin rope with his slender fingers, threaded it through her waist belt, and then tidied and tied the knots again.
His movements were gentle and meticulous. Even though there had been more intimate contact just now, he didn't take the opportunity to touch her at all.
Those hands were so clean, with such long, slender fingers. Every tendon looked beautiful when they held a knife, a sword, or a bow. Now, those hands were tying ropes and hanging ornaments for her, doing work exclusively for her.
"There's one more thing I didn't have time to mention earlier." The young man's fingertips lightly traced the top of the jade pendant. "It's engraved with Northern Rong script."
Xie Yutang looked at his drooping eyelashes: "What did you carve?"
“Youzhi.” The boy paused. “My courtesy name.”
Xie Yutang was taken aback.
The character “戮” carries too strong a sense of killing and is rarely used in names. She didn’t know what Su Chengyu was thinking when he chose this character, nor did she know if he liked her name.
But I chose the name myself.
"Youzhi," she murmured, feeling that the word suited him perfectly.
Holding the jade pendant at her waist, she examined each pattern carefully by the lamplight. It turned out that this was how the two characters were written in the Northern Rong script.
But Xie Yutang quickly realized something, and the corners of her lips that had just lifted instantly returned to a straight line: "Then He Lou Wulan must have known before me."
She knew Bei Rongwen; she probably knew him just by looking at him that day.
That makes no sense. He was the one who gave her the jade pendant first. He was the one who always stayed by her side and was always there for her. She never even thought to ask about his courtesy name. She just kept calling him "Young Master" and, when she was unhappy, she would sarcastically call him "Young Marquis."
Su Lu's words soothed her unhappiness, which she herself was unaware of: "Besides my mother, Your Highness is the first person to call me that."
Xie Yutang paused, his hand tracing circles on the jade pendant: "Really?"
"Um."
Xie Yutang was somewhat satisfied: "You are not allowed to tell anyone about your handwriting in the future."
He agreed to everything: "Okay."
Xie Yutang's gaze swept over her waist. The jade pendant hung neatly, the knot at the top tied beautifully and looked very secure. She looked up and said, "And, when did you find out that I also..."
The rest of the sentence was abruptly cut off.
Her mind was completely focused on the jade pendant, but when she looked up, she saw that the boy's clothes were wrinkled, and his usually impeccably tailored collar was slightly torn, probably because she had buried her head in his shoulder earlier. His normally porcelain-like neck was scratched several times by the hairpins in his hair, with the scratch on his Adam's apple being particularly deep, almost bleeding... Not to mention his ears, which were always red, even his wrists were red? She had only used a little force when she pulled him, but he looked like he had just been ravaged... Was this person made of snow, so untouchable?
Distracted like this, Xie Yutang's thoughts were completely cut off, and he forgot the question he was about to ask. "...I realized I'm sleepy too. You've just recovered from a serious illness and haven't fully recovered yet. The doctor said you need to rest more. Go and get some rest."
Without waiting for a reply, she got up on her own. Su Lu watched as she walked with a pace three times faster than usual, passing through the pavilion, the fishpond, and pushing open her own door, which she then slammed shut from the inside. The whole process was smooth and without a moment's pause.
The red clay stove was still burning, but her teacup was empty.
Su Lu picked up the cup of tea, rubbed it between his fingers for a while, and finally smiled and looked down.
[Author's Note]
My darlings! I'm starting this next book, [Let me see], full text currently in draft form.
Please add this to your pre-order list! [covering face and peeking]
—
Despite being debuffed, she's still incredibly popular.
Winther was a player of "The Rich Heiress Simulator," and she had allocated all her attribute points to "Beauty," intending to live a carefree and leisurely life. However, when she woke up, she found herself transported to another world, and the men around her were all incredibly treacherous—
1. An actor whose potential partners are being poached from all sides, ready to stab him in the back at any moment.
2. The e-sports god who treats you like an ATM
3. The stepfather who is trying to seize your family property.
With a luck stat of 0, Winther consistently manages to precisely avoid buffs like [artistic talent/academic genius aura/unbelievably wealthy...], drawing only a few debuffs instead.
[Skin hunger: You can't live without handsome men, you'd rather cry while doing laundry on a handsome man's eight-pack abs than laugh on a soft velvet bed]
Winsor tore up the rival company's contract in the actor's hand and pinned him in front of the desk: "Tell me how to get a kickback, oh no, thank you, you're really important to the company."
[The Darkly Crawling Paranoiac: Your fanatical, gloomy, and inhumanly possessive desire for your idol has made you the number one influencer]
Winsor cornered the e-sports heartthrob who was packing up his peripherals against the wall: "I bought the club for you, so why did you shake hands with the female host? Why did you smile at her? Do you need to be locked up so you can realize your place?"
[Thinking you're an Alpha: You, who consider yourself an Alpha, look down on all pitiful, weak, and helpless Omegas.]
Facing his powerful stepfather, Winther boldly touched the back of his neck: "As an Omega, why don't you suppress your pheromones? Do you really want me to mark you?"
Not only that, the side quests are all incredibly bizarre—
[Best Actor Side Story: You are a heartless capitalist. Your only cash cow was exploited to the point of contract termination, becoming the final straw that broke the company's back]
[Esports God Side Story: After flirting with someone until they're completely infatuated, he tells them he's just a heartless tool for ranking up, and gets cyberbullied by his fans and honest bystanders until he deletes his account]
[Side story of the younger father: He uses every trick in the book to bring this aloof beauty down to earth, but their immoral relationship is exposed by paparazzi, and the company's stock price plummets.]
System friendly reminder: The more sensational, the more money you make!
Having completely let loose, Winsor unlocked a series of achievements: [Others commit immoral acts, she willingly debases herself; she commits immoral acts, a love that captivates the world], [The woman who unites the trolls in the esports world], [There's no one in this world you care about anymore]
As the account balance keeps increasing from zero, the favorability rating of the person you're trying to win over also drops drastically.
Before dropping to 0, Winther, with the "running away with a baby" debuff, sent breakup letters to three men saying "Honey, I'm pregnant with your child," then signed the last property transfer document, made a beautiful escape, and planned to settle in Europe.
Having ordered seven or eight male models, she was ready to embark on her glamorous life as a female CEO, only to find that three men had all kissed her.
She then realized that it wasn't a favorability rating, but a "confession countdown".
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