Chapter 75
Chapter Seventy-Five
They resumed their journey home, traveling and resting intermittently, stretching what should have been a two-month trip to two and a half months. Throughout the journey, Zhang Ji's expression remained rather unpleasant. He rarely spoke to Xiao Zheyu, with Xiao Zheyu occasionally approaching him with questions, the nature of which Meng Yuan had no way of knowing.
As the carriage entered Lin'an, the bustling, prosperous atmosphere of the city filled the air. The sounds of vendors hawking their wares ceased as they ventured deeper into the city. Meng Yuan lifted the curtain and saw that the outside was blocked off by soldiers; they walked alone on the street. Meng Yuan looked around. In her memory, whether in this life or the previous one, she had never truly seen Lin'an. It wasn't that she didn't have time; rather, she simply didn't care about this world at all.
Thinking about it this way, it really is a waste of her life. Here, she was given enough time to see, but she didn't have that desire. In reality, she was given a short life, yet she wanted to see very, very far. People are all fickle; what they can't have is always the best. The road never traveled is always the easiest to walk.
Meng Yuan smiled silently, a hint of sadness creeping into her eyes. What kind of ending would this life hold?
"So ugly." A hand pinched Meng Yuan's cheek and turned her around. Meng Yuan's face was thin and fleshy. It felt bland to the touch. Shang Mang looked at her.
Meng Yuan chuckled, wanting to roll her eyes: "Then don't look."
Shang Mang, defiant as ever, leaned closer: "I insist on seeing."
Kong Fusheng glared and bristled, holding out his hand to block their faces: "What are you doing? There are so many people on the bus, do you think we don't exist?"
Shang Mang snorted, released his grip, crossed his arms, glanced at the others, and asked, "Really? Who's there?"
Kong Fusheng tried to stand up to boost his momentum, but as soon as he stood up, he hit his head. He touched his head and sat down, then pointed at Xiao Zheyu, Zhou Xiuqi, Cong Rong, and Shou Changxing: "He, he, he, he, all of them."
Shang Mang pouted and twisted his eyebrows: "The Ghost Embryo only knows how to kill. It will kill anyone it sees. If that's the case, should I kill you all now?"
Meng Yuan couldn't stand it anymore and covered his mouth with her hand: "Stop talking."
Shang Mang squinted and turned to her: "Am I wrong?"
Kong Fusheng couldn't win the argument or the fight, so he took heavy breaths in anger and then closed his eyes.
Meng Yuan had heard them arguing a lot along the way and was a little annoyed: "Why do you keep arguing with him? You're much older than him."
Shang Mang turned around, staring straight ahead, and said nothing.
Meng Yuan sighed inwardly and leaned forward to look at him: "Are you angry?"
Shang Mang chuckled, "How dare I?" His tone changed completely. Meng Yuan reached out and hooked her little finger with his. Hidden behind her sleeve, she subtly shook it, "You stingy little man, drinking cold water."
Shang Mang lowered his eyes: "In your world, do friends hold hands?"
Meng Yuan looked up, and Shang Mang stared into her eyes, asking slowly and directly, right within their audible range.
Meng Yuan felt a little awkward under his gaze and said, "Of course I will."
Shang Mang then asked, "Do friends do intimate things together?"
Meng Yuan's little finger felt inexplicably itchy. She moved slightly, but Shang Mang hooked it tightly, preventing her from breaking free. Shang Mang observed her expression, knowing full well that she definitely wouldn't give in, but he still wanted it.
Shang Mang waited for a long time, but Meng Yuan looked at the sky and the ground without looking at him, so he let go of her little finger.
Meng Yuan slowly withdrew her little finger and glanced furtively at Shang Mang. Shang Mang had his eyes closed, whether he was asleep or in a bad mood was unknown. Meng Yuan touched the second knuckle of his little finger; its temperature was no different from that of a dead man, which suddenly reminded Meng Yuan of the warmth of his palm earlier.
Meng Yuan glanced at him furtively and noticed him blink. Afraid of being discovered, she quickly turned her head away.
Her hand unconsciously lifted the curtain again. As soon as she did, the carriage stopped, and she leaned forward slightly. Someone grabbed her arm. Meng Yuan turned around but didn't see whose hand it was, and her mind wavered.
He subconsciously looked at Shang Mang, who had his eyes closed and seemed completely unaware of what was happening.
Meng Yuan lowered her eyes and sat up straight again. Zhang Ji tapped the wooden board twice, and his voice came from outside: "Your Highness, we have arrived."
Several people got off the car. Meng Yuan thought it was the imperial palace, but after getting off the car, she saw the three large characters "Princess's Residence" on the plaque and realized that this was Xiao Zheyu's residence.
Zhang Ji walked up to them and said, "Your Highness, I will return to the palace to report first. Please stay here for a while." Xiao Zheyu nodded, and Zhang Ji mounted his horse and led his men forward.
The guards in front of the princess's residence bowed to Xiao Zheyu, but she seemed somewhat absent-minded. She showed no intention of going in and simply stood outside. Meng Yuan called her several times before Xiao Zheyu came to her senses and said, "Wait a little longer."
Not knowing who she was waiting for, Meng Yuan kicked at the pebbles at her feet listlessly.
Not far away, wheels rolled over sand and gravel, kicking up dust that stung Meng Yuan's eyes. She raised her hand to rub her eyes, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw a carriage stop. With her vision obstructed, her hearing became very noticeable; the sound of green bells jingling rang in her ears.
The sound of the stool hitting the ground startled Meng Yuan. She opened her eyes, and the person inside the carriage lifted the curtain and stepped out. His white hair was swept up by the wind, and his eyes were lowered. His eyelashes were translucent in the light, and the crane on his robe seemed ready to take flight.
After he came down, Meng Yuan came to her senses. This person looked like a celestial being.
He walked up to Xiao Zheyu, slowly raised his eyes, and said, "Your Highness, how have you been?"
Xiao Zheyu returned the greeting politely: "How have you been, Imperial Preceptor?"
Meng Yuan stared into his eyes, but before she could see them clearly, someone covered her eyes: "If you look any longer, your eyes will be in danger."
It was Shang Mang's voice. After he put his hand down, Meng Yuan asked softly, "His eyes are purple."
Shang Mang crossed his arms and sneered. Meng Yuan didn't understand the meaning of his sneer. What surprised her even more was that Zhou Xiuqi bowed to the man and said, "Junior Zhou Xiuqi greets Grandmaster."
Meng Yuan was shocked. Having lived two lifetimes, there were still people she had never met.
The grandmaster nodded slightly and shifted his gaze. Meng Yuan, who had her head down, felt the gaze and looked up.
The master's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile: "You used to want to gouge my eyes out to look at them, but now you're afraid to look at them?"
The voice landed above her head, and Meng Yuan realized he was talking to her. She hadn't even noticed when he had approached. Meng Yuan lowered her head and said, "Junior Meng Yuan greets Grandmaster."
The grandmaster didn't speak again, but turned to look at Xiao Zheyu: "Let's go inside and talk."
They walked ahead, with Kong Fusheng following behind, saying, "Grandmaster Junan is indeed as legendary as the rumors say, with an extraordinary and ethereal appearance."
Meng Yuan walked forward, searching her memory for this person, but she couldn't recall him at all. Could it be that his memories from his past life hadn't fully returned? Meng Yuan rubbed her temples, shook her head, and followed their pace.
Shang Mang stood at the back, gazing at Meng Yuan's figure, lost in thought.
Everyone sat down. Meng Yuan sat at the back, Junan sat in the main seat, Xiao Zheyu sat in the second seat closest to Junan, then Cong Rong sat down next to her, Zhou Xiuqi sat opposite Xiao Zheyu, Meng Yuan sat at the back, Shang Mang sat in front of her, and Kong Fusheng sat behind her.
Junan glanced around and his gaze settled on Shang Mang. Meng Yuan immediately tensed up. Logically, their master should have discovered Shang Mang's identity, but he only glanced at him before looking away.
Meng Yuan turned her head and asked, "Fusheng, have you seen him?"
Kong Fusheng rested his chin on his hand and said, "How could I have seen him? Grandmaster Junan has always been at the pinnacle of his position, and he only came to Lin'an to become the National Preceptor in recent years. In the past, we juniors only knew that there was a Grandmaster Junan, and we had only seen him in books."
Meng Yuan nodded and continued, "Then do you know his name?" Meng Yuan was unfamiliar with him, but his words just now were intriguing. Could it be that they had some kind of relationship?
Kong Fusheng opened his mouth wide and said, "Few people have even seen him, so how could they know his name? Besides, even if they did know, they wouldn't dare to say it easily."
Seeing that Xiao Zheyu had no intention of letting them leave, Junan said helplessly, "After all these years, the Princess has not changed."
Xiao Zheyu, not wanting to reminisce, went straight to the point: "What happened to him?"
Junan didn't delay and succinctly explained the situation. While they were at the funeral, the emperor took a woman into the palace, and his health began to decline day by day. Even when he didn't see the woman, he would still be like this.
The woman was imprisoned, and disappeared the next day.
Junan touched the teacup: "His Majesty's body has become emaciated, and he is now being kept alive by ginseng slices."
Xiao Zheyu pondered, "Even you can't do anything about it?"
Junan's smile was faint: "Your Highness, people have their own destiny, and Heaven has its own will."
Xiao Zheyu scoffed, "You know I've never believed in fate."
Junan shook his head without answering the question, and instead said, "Your Highness should return on a certain day. Lin'an's time is up, Heaven is going to destroy him, and we have no ability to fight back."
"The only option is for one life to pay for another."
Junan didn't leave in the end, but stayed at the princess's residence. After they finished talking, they were arranged to sleep in rooms, having traveled by carriage the whole way. Meng Yuan was also quite tired, but being extremely tired actually made her mind clear. She lay there, pondering Junan's words.
Was she being too sensitive, or was there something more to his words?
Lin'an is doomed and cannot be resisted; one life for another.
These words sounded pointed, and Meng Yuan's forehead tightened. She rubbed her temples in pain, feeling somewhat irritable. She used to be able to think for a few minutes, but now, as soon as she had a thought, she would experience unbearable pain.
With a splitting headache, Meng Yuan curled up and pressed her fingertips hard against her temples.
A person jumped down from the roof beam. Meng Yuan struggled to take a look and said through gritted teeth, "You came in without even asking me."
Shang Mang sat on the edge of the bed: "I'm willing."
His fingertip touched Meng Yuan's forehead, and Meng Yuan's pain subsided considerably.
Meng Yuan closed her eyes wearily: "Come in again next time you ask me."
Shang Mang leaned against the bed and said, "Are you waiting to collect my corpse?"
Meng Yuan opened her eyes and looked at his profile, which was backlit. He had a straight nose, thin lips, and wicked eyes.
Neither of them spoke. Shang Mang looked away, while Meng Yuan looked at him.
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