Chapter 153 The Vow of Three Lifetimes
Chapter 153 The Vow of Three Lifetimes
Ever since returning from that day's revisit to the hunting grounds, Su Wanrou's heart has been like a lake tossed with a pebble, rippling outwards and unable to find peace for a long time. During the day, watching the children playing and laughing, she didn't feel it, but when the night was deep and quiet, lying alone on the cool bamboo mat in the courtyard, Gu Yangui's words and actions in that old place, and the unfinished meaning contained in his deep eyes, would clearly emerge before her eyes.
He wasn't a man of many words, nor was he one for romantic pronouncements, yet the earnestness in those few simple words struck her heart more deeply than any vow of eternal love. She turned over, listening to the chirping of insects outside the window, a strange emptiness settling in her heart. It was as if a crucial promise remained unfulfilled, waiting for the right moment to be solemnly fulfilled.
That afternoon, a sudden mountain rain washed away the sweltering heat of the past few days. After the rain, the sky was clear and blue, the mountain air was fresh and sweet, and the grass and trees, washed by the rain, shone with a vibrant green. Gu Yangui came out of his study and saw Su Wanrou leaning against the veranda, gazing absently at the jasmine petals scattered on the ground in the courtyard by the rain.
“The rain has stopped. Would you like to go for a walk?” He walked to her side and casually draped a thin cloak over her shoulders. “There’s a path behind the mountain with nice scenery. If we go now, we might even see a sea of clouds.”
His suggestion was exactly what Su Wanrou wanted to hear, and that inexplicable anticipation rose again. She nodded in agreement, instructed the wet nurse and maids to take good care of the children, and then left the back gate of the villa with Gu Yangui.
The mountain path was slippery after the rain, so Gu Yangui walked ahead, turning back every now and then to help her. His large, warm hands steadily supported her arm, guiding her step by step upwards. Dense bamboo groves lined both sides of the path, glistening with dewdrops that rustled down in the breeze, bringing a refreshing coolness. After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the view suddenly opened up; they had reached a platform with an excellent view. One side of the platform was a steep cliff, while the other led to even higher ground, right at the edge of the royal hunting grounds.
At this moment, after the rain, the sky cleared, and mist rose from the valley, gathering into a vast sea of clouds that surged and rolled beneath our feet. In the distance, the rolling green mountains appeared and disappeared in the mist, like a fairyland. The glow of the setting sun pierced through the clouds, casting thousands of golden rays that dyed the sea of clouds a magnificent golden-red.
"So beautiful!" Su Wanrou was stunned by the magnificent scene. She couldn't help but take a few steps forward, stand on the edge of the platform, and greedily breathe in the crisp air that was moist with mist.
Gu Yangui stood beside her, silent, simply watching her. The golden light of the setting sun outlined her delicate profile, her eyes reflecting the dazzling glow of the clouds and sunset. A mountain breeze ruffled the stray hairs at her temples and the ribbons of her cloak, making her seem to melt into the magnificent landscape.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice deep and clear in the empty valley: "Do you remember this place?"
Su Wanrou followed his gaze and looked down at the meadow where they had rested a few days ago. But now, viewed from above, it presented a completely different scene. A thought struck her, and she nodded, "I remember."
Gu Yangui turned around to face her, his gaze calm and focused, as if she were the only person left in the world. He took out an object from his pocket, a small box carved from fine sandalwood, no bigger than the palm of his hand, with a smooth surface and a warm luster, clearly often caressed by its owner.
“Wanrou,” he called her name, his tone more solemn than ever before, “There are some things I’ve been holding in my heart for a long time, and I feel that I should tell you them here.”
Su Wanrou's heart skipped a beat, as if she had a premonition of something. She subconsciously held her breath and looked up at him.
Gu Yangui opened the wooden box. Inside were not any rare treasures, but two strands of hair carefully tied together with a red string. One strand was jet black and coarse, the other soft and youthful, tightly intertwined, forming a heart shape. Beside it, there was also a small sprig of jasmine, long since withered but still perfectly preserved.
“This is…” Su Wanrou was stunned.
“This is what I left on the day we tied our hair together.” Gu Yangui’s gaze fell on that strand of youthful hair, his eyes filled with a soft light of memories. “You were young then, and you were fast asleep. When I cut this strand of hair, you didn’t even notice.” He then looked at the withered jasmine. “This is the first jasmine you put in a vase for me. I secretly kept a small branch.”
Su Wanrou's eyes instantly welled up with tears. She had never imagined that this seemingly cold and aloof man harbored such delicate and deep feelings that no one knew. They had become husband and wife, their love unwavering. This most ordinary ritual between ordinary couples had been so cherished and preserved by him for five years.
Gu Yangui closed the wooden box and gently placed it in Su Wanrou's trembling palm. Then, with his large, calloused hands, which were used to holding swords, he tightly wrapped her hand and the wooden box together.
His gaze was deep, like the bottomless sea of clouds beneath her feet, yet burning with a scorching flame; every word he spoke was clearly imprinted on her heart.
"Wanrou, I, Gu Yangui, have never believed in gods or Buddhas, nor in the afterlife. I only believe in the sword in my hand and only strive for victory in this day. Until I met you."
"The arrow shot in the hunting grounds back then may not have hit the bullseye, but it pierced my heart with precision. When I first married you, I thought I was just giving Mingxuan a mother and this desolate Duke's mansion a mistress. But over the past five years, it has been you who, with your gentleness and resilience, have gradually warmed my hardened heart. You have shown me that home is not an empty mansion, but a place where a lamp is lit for me and someone is waiting for my return."
He paused, his voice growing deeper, carrying an undeniable resolve:
People pray to gods and Buddhas, hoping for a better next life. But I am greedy; one lifetime is not enough. If there truly is reincarnation, I want to make a promise with you for three lifetimes.
"The first life is this one. I will shelter you from the wind and rain, protect you for a lifetime, watch you smile like a flower, surrounded by children and grandchildren, grow old with you, and never be separated from you in life or death."
"In the second life, it will be your turn to find me. Whether I am a prince or a commoner, no matter what you look like, I will recognize you at first glance, hold you in my palm, and love you with all my heart."
“In the third life,” he said, his gaze sweeping across the surging sea of clouds, as if piercing through endless time and space, “we will not be the lovesick men and women of the human world, but the trees standing side by side in these mountains, or the sea of clouds flowing around the mountains. Our roots will be intertwined, our branches and leaves will depend on each other, we will shield each other from the wind and bear each other in the rain, we will be together forever, immortal and indestructible.”
The mountain wind howled, carrying his words away into the vast sea of clouds. Heaven and earth bear witness, mountains and rivers serve as witnesses.
Su Wanrou was already in tears. This wasn't some flowery, romantic phrase; it was the simplest yet most profound promise a man of steel could give. He had planned a future for her spanning three lifetimes, using his usual method of strategic maneuvering. This vow was more moving than any poem or song.
She looked down at the warm wooden box in her hands, then looked up at the man who had brought her life from darkness to such a bright place. A surge of emotion welled up within her, like a sea of clouds beneath her feet. She gripped his hand tightly, tears falling onto the back of their clasped hands, her voice choked with emotion yet exceptionally firm:
"Gu Yangui, how fortunate I am to have such deep affection from you."
"One lifetime is too short, three lifetimes are not long enough. I will keep your promise of three lifetimes!"
"In this life, in the next, in every lifetime, through the heavens and the underworld, I will follow you. If you are a tree, I will be a vine, entwined tightly; if you are a cloud, I will be the wind, inseparable in life and death. No matter how many times we are reincarnated, no matter what form I take, Su Wanrou will always be Gu Yangui's wife!"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a do-or-die courage and unwavering determination, resonating with his vow atop this high mountain.
Gu Yangui gazed deeply at her, the last trace of restraint in his eyes vanishing, leaving only a surging tide of affection and emotion. He suddenly reached out and pulled her tightly into his arms, the force so great that it seemed he wanted to meld her into his very bones, never to be separated again.
Su Wanrou hugged his strong waist tightly, pressing her cheek against his firm, warm chest, listening to the rapid, powerful heartbeat emanating from his chest, just like her own. All manners and rules, all restraint and shyness, seemed insignificant at this moment. They were simply two loving souls, making a vow that transcended life and death under the witness of heaven and earth.
As the sun finally withdrew its last rays, darkness fell, and the sea of clouds below gradually lost its vibrant colors, turning into a serene gray-white. The mountain breeze grew cooler, but it could not dispel the burning passion between the two embracing figures.
"It's getting windy, let's go back." Gu Yangui let go of her, adjusted her cloak, took her hand, and led her down the mountain along the way they came.
The way back seemed much shorter than the way there. Neither of them spoke again, their fingers intertwined as they walked silently. But a silent, even more intimate atmosphere lingered between them, expressing their feelings more clearly than any words could.
As they approached the villa, they could already see the warm lights shining from inside and hear the faint laughter of children. Gu Yangui stopped and turned to look at her, his gaze incredibly gentle in the twilight: "Wanrou, thank you for being willing to accompany me through these three lifetimes."
Su Wanrou looked up at him, her tears dried, leaving only clear and bright love in her eyes: "Thank you for giving me the courage and confidence to promise three lifetimes."
He leaned down and placed a gentle, precious kiss on her smooth forehead.
This kiss, devoid of lust, was merely a stamp, a brand, solemnly engraving the extraordinary three-life vow made atop the mountain peak into each other's lives.
Back in the brightly lit villa, watching the children running towards them, Su Wanrou's heart was filled with an unprecedented sense of fulfillment and peace. This life was already so wonderful, and with the person beside her, they had a long future to look forward to, a future that would last two lifetimes.
A vow made across three lifetimes, a single word for a lifetime. From this day forward, the vast mountains and rivers, the everyday life of humanity, will all be filled with endless, precious moments spent together.
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