Chapter 76: A Eulogy for the Loyal Souls (Part 4) First published on Jinjiang! ...
"Release them, I'd give my life for it."
Ye Lingrou's voice rang out in the dark passageway. It wasn't loud, but it was like a stone thrown into stagnant water, causing Chu Xi to suddenly stop in her tracks as she was about to leave.
He slowly turned around, the hem of his dark robe tracing a slight arc. His playful peach blossom eyes now clearly reflected the flickering firelight and her pale yet resolute face.
"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow, a habitual amusement playing at the corners of his lips. He walked back to her, looking down at her intently. "Rou'er wants to trade her own life for these people's?" He chuckled softly, as if he'd heard something extremely amusing. "But what use would I have for Rou'er's life?"
He reached out, his fingertips tracing her cheek again, this time slower, with a scrutinizing and dangerously probing look: "Unless... Rou'er has something else, something more valuable to me, something worth exchanging?"
Ye Lingrou raised her eyes, meeting his gaze directly. So many emotions swirled within them that she couldn't discern them, nor did she care to. She simply took a deep breath, as if summoning all her courage, and raised her hand, trembling, to unbutton the first button of her collar.
Her delicate fingertips were white with cold and fear, yet her movements were steady. The ties of her plain cloak came undone, revealing the neckline of her equally plain white, thin nightgown and a slender, fragile neck.
Chu Xi's pupils suddenly contracted.
The smile on his face vanished instantly, and almost at the same moment, he grabbed her wrist as she continued to move. The force was considerable, causing her wrist bones to ache.
"Rou'er," his voice deepened, all nonchalance gone, replaced by unusual seriousness, even a hint of tension, "Do you know what you're saying? What you're doing?"
“I know.” Ye Lingrou’s voice trembled, but it was unusually clear, and her gaze did not waver. “I know what you want. Chu Xi, let those innocent people go. They shouldn’t be implicated in this, and they shouldn’t die like this.”
Tears welled in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall, simply staring at him intently: "Let them go, and I... will give them to you."
Chu Xi's fingers, gripping her wrist, tightened and loosened almost imperceptibly. He stared at her for a long time, so long that the torches in the corridor crackled, so long that the guards and the head eunuch behind him held their breath, heads bowed, not daring to look any longer.
Suddenly, he chuckled softly.
The laughter started softly, then grew more joyful, even revealing an indescribable sense of satisfaction and exhilaration. He released her wrist, and to her astonishment, he suddenly bent down, slipped one hand under her knees, and wrapped the other around her shoulder, lifting her up in his arms.
Ye Lingrou gasped and instinctively clung to his neck.
Chu Xi held her in his arms, turned and walked towards the dungeon exit. His steps were light, and without turning his head, he ordered those behind him, "Did you hear that? The princess pleaded for them, and I granted it. Spare those worthless lives and keep them locked up. However..." He paused, his voice carrying a cruel ease, "If there is any further misconduct, or if anyone tries to break in, kill them without exception."
"Yes!" The head eunuch quickly bowed and agreed.
He held Ye Lingrou in his arms, her nose filled with his faint fragrance, mixed with a hint of the cold, rusty smell of the dungeon. Her body stiffened, her heart pounding like a drum, unsure whether it was from this sudden intimacy or from the decision she had just made.
Stepping out of the gloomy dungeon, a cool summer breeze caressed their faces, carrying the scent of grass and trees from the courtyard, washing away the stench of blood and despair behind them. Moonlight, like water, bathed the two of them.
Chu Xi looked down at her. In the moonlight, her eyelashes trembled slightly, her face still pale, yet she possessed a breathtakingly gentle beauty. He carried her and headed straight for the bedchamber.
"Rou'er," his voice sounded much gentler in the night breeze, "it's not too late to regret it now."
Ye Lingrou turned her face slightly away to avoid his hot breath. After a long while, she said softly, "What I said in the prison just now... was true." She paused, her voice even lower, but with a resolute determination, "Since you... spared their lives, I... will keep my promise."
"I...don't regret it." The last few words were as soft as a mosquito's buzz, with a slight tremor in their voice.
Chu Xi paused slightly, giving her a deep look, her peach blossom eyes brimming with the burning desire of someone who had finally gotten their wish.
He didn't say anything more, but quickened his pace.
The bedchamber was brightly lit and warm with incense, a stark contrast to the gloomy hellish prison they had just left. Chu Xi gently placed her on the large, soft bed, the silk quilt smooth and cool.
He didn't approach immediately, but stood by the bed, looking down at her. Ye Lingrou kept her eyes tightly closed, her body slightly curled up, her hands unconsciously clutching the brocade quilt beneath her, her long eyelashes trembling violently.
“If you are unwilling,” Chu Xi suddenly spoke, his voice a little hoarse, “there is no need to force yourself. I have said that my fate… will most likely not be good. You are different.” He reached out and gently brushed his fingertips across her tightly closed eyelids, wiping away the slight moisture that had seeped out there, “In the future, the sky will be high and the sea will be wide, and even without me, my Rou’er… should live a peaceful and smooth life.”
He spoke these words very softly, even with a rare hint of melancholy, which was completely different from his usual arrogant and haughty demeanor.
Ye Lingrou's heart skipped a beat, and her closed eyes stung even more. She suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist as he was about to pull it back.
Chu Xi's body stiffened.
Ye Lingrou opened her eyes, her gaze shimmering with tears, reflecting the candlelight and his silhouette. She didn't speak, but simply grasped his wrist, then wrapped her other arm around his waist, gently pressing her face against his.
It was a silent agreement.
Chu Xi's breathing suddenly became heavy.
Without further hesitation, he leaned down and kissed her lips. This kiss was no longer one of probing or teasing, but rather one of irresistible aggression and long-suppressed desire, burning hot and lingering, almost stealing her breath.
His clothes came off amidst his disordered breathing and lingering kisses. The cool air touched his skin, causing a shiver, which was then covered by his burning body temperature.
Ye Lingrou felt like a sliver of moonlight caught in a deep-sea whirlpool, helplessly tossed about by the waves. All she could see was the swaying tent ceiling, like the dome of a tossing ship.
Amidst the surging tide, there was also an out-of-control heartbeat, crashing heavily against the eardrums, indistinguishable from one another.
All that remained was a spinning sensation. In her overwhelming dizziness, she unconsciously clenched her fingertips, like a drowning person clutching a piece of driftwood, her nails digging deep into her taut skin, leaving crescent-shaped marks.
She stifled her sobs, only the constant moisture seeping from the corners of her eyes betraying the trembling of her soul. Before those salty tears could fall, they were gently yet forcefully seized by warm lips and tongue, leaving only a raging fire.
The candlelight flickered restlessly on the high table beside the bed, stretching and shattering the overlapping and swaying shadows on the screen, like a wild cursive script that had been arbitrarily painted and repeatedly outlined by an invisible hand.
After an unknown amount of time, the wind seemed to gradually subside, and the wailing of the trees in the courtyard subsided. The chaotic shadows on the screen finally settled slowly, transforming into two intertwined silhouettes. The candlelight still flickered, but it seemed much gentler, its soft glow spreading out gently, quietly smoothing over the invisible storm that had just passed, leaving only a warm and enchanting fragrance filling the room.
The storm finally subsided.
Chu Xi held her tightly, his arms wrapped around her waist with such force that it seemed he wanted to embed her into his body. His chin rested on the top of her head, his breathing gradually evening out, but he still didn't let go.
Exhausted, Ye Lingrou's consciousness swayed between the warmth of the embrace and her weariness. Before plunging completely into darkness, she seemed to hear a very soft sigh and a faint whisper in her ear:
"Rou'er, my..."
She didn't hear what was said after that, and then fell into a deep sleep.
She was awakened by a gentle call and a warm touch on her cheek.
Her eyelids were too heavy to lift, and her body ached as if it had been run over. The voice calling her was so familiar that it made her heart tremble, filled with unbelievable joy and worry: "Lingrou? Lingrou, wake up."
Ye Lingrou struggled to open her heavy eyelids.
As my blurry vision gradually cleared, I came into view a face that should never have been there—exquisitely beautiful, yet with an unyielding sorrow in her eyes.
It's my eldest sister!
How could she be here!
"Sister...?" Ye Lingrou's voice was hoarse and dry, as if she were still dreaming. "Is it really you?"
Tears welled up unexpectedly, blurring her vision. Was it a dream? But the warmth of her sister's fingertips touching her cheek felt so real. She instinctively tried to sit up, but the movement aggravated her aching body, causing her to hiss softly.
"Don't rush, take your time." Ye Yixiang quickly helped her up and wrapped her in a soft quilt. His eyes swept over her disheveled nightgown and the ambiguous marks on her neck that could not be concealed, his heartache and anger intertwined.
Ye Lingrou followed her sister's gaze and looked down, only to find that she was now wearing a clean and tidy nightgown, not the one from last night. She was stunned for a moment, and then a terrible thought rushed into her mind, instantly draining all color from her face.
My sister is here... safe and sound... Does that mean...?
Chu Xi has already...
Defeated? Dead? Or...?
She suddenly grabbed Ye Yixiang's hand, her fingertips icy cold: "Sister! How did you get here? This is the imperial city... How did you get in? What's happening outside...?" Chu Xi... he... is he... The rest of the words stuck in her throat, she couldn't bring herself to ask, she just stared wide-eyed at her sister in horror.
Ye Yixiang grasped her younger sister's cold, trembling hand in return, hesitating to speak, her eyes swirling with emotion, which finally coalesced into a heavy sigh. She gently pulled Ye Lingrou into her arms, patting her back as she had done when they were children, her voice low and slow, yet carrying an unmistakable gravity:
“Last night, in the latter half of the night, Prince Ke… took his three hundred personal guards who were still willing to follow him and left the city under cover of darkness, heading straight for Lintong.” Ye Yixiang’s voice was calm, but every word carried immense weight. “He wanted to make a final gamble, to take advantage of the besieging army’s unpreparedness and launch a risky attack. But His Majesty was prepared. As soon as they arrived at the city walls, they fell into a trap, and the entire army… was captured.”
Three hundred personal guards against the formidable cavalry of Lintong was tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock. But Chu Xi was always cautious; why would he suddenly make such a decision?
Didn't he know he would be captured?
He wasn't killed in battle! He was captured!
Ye Lingrou's heart skipped a beat, then began to pound wildly again. She opened her mouth, her voice dry: "He... is still alive, isn't he?"
She was stunned when she asked the question. There was a faint hope in her voice that she herself was unaware of.
Ye Yixiang gazed intently at her younger sister, not missing the fleeting complex emotions in her eyes. After a moment of silence, she slowly said, "Such heinous crimes cannot be easily put to death." Her voice was cold. "His Majesty has decreed that she be escorted back to the capital for a public trial at a later date."
A public trial. Ye Lingrou knew very well what that meant. It would be a longer and more humiliating ordeal than death, and in the end, she would still not escape death.
She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of the blanket. Her mind was a mess. Did she hate him? Of course she hated him. He had killed so many people, including her and her elder sister's father. But last night, when he held her, that burning heat...
"That beast!" Ye Yixiang's voice suddenly turned fierce, interrupting her thoughts. She gripped her sister's hand tightly, her eyes filled with pain and anger. "How could he treat you like this! Rou'er, don't worry, your sister will never let him get away with this! I will definitely tear him to pieces to avenge you!"
She paused, softening her tone with a cautious reassurance: "Rou'er, don't be afraid. It's all in the past. If in the future... if in the future someone truly loves you, he won't care about these things."
Ye Lingrou looked up, seeing the genuine tenderness and worry in her sister's eyes, and her heart ached unbearably. That day, she had thought she could get Chu Xi drunk and pass on his token and information to help her elder sister, but she never expected that Chu Xi had anticipated this and even turned the tables on her...
"Elder sister," she began, her voice soft yet exceptionally clear, "I'm sorry..."
Ye Yixiang was taken aback.
“It was my willpower that wasn’t strong enough. I… did it voluntarily.” Ye Lingrou said, word by word, tears finally streaming down her face. “It wasn’t him who forced me. It was I… who used my own life to save the lives of those people in the imperial prison.”
The bedchamber was completely silent.
Ye Yixiang's expression froze. She looked at her younger sister, as if seeing her clearly for the first time. That innocent and carefree girl had grown up without her noticing, made her own decisions, and even... made such a tragic sacrifice.
After a long while, Ye Yixiang finally found her voice, which trembled as she said, "Silly child... why... why did you have to do this..."
She suddenly pulled Ye Lingrou into a tight embrace, so tight it almost suffocated her. Ye Yixiang's shoulders trembled slightly, her voice choked with sobs: "It's all my fault... I couldn't protect you, I couldn't come to save you sooner... You've suffered so much..."
Ye Lingrou leaned on her sister's shoulder, tears streaming silently down her face. All the grievances, fears, and confusion finally burst forth at this moment.
“No…no…” she cried, shaking her head. “It was me…I was too foolish. I fell for Chu Xi’s trick…I thought I could help my sister, help His Majesty. I stole his command token and had it delivered to Lintong…I thought I was doing the right thing…but I never imagined things would turn out like this…causing innocent soldiers to die, and putting my sister in danger. I…I’m sorry…”
She finally voiced her deepest self-blame, collapsing limply into Ye Yixiang's arms as if all her strength had been drained.
Ye Yixiang gently wiped away her tears with a handkerchief. "Chu Xi's ambition was not caused by you; his defeat was not your fault either. You just did what you thought was right at that moment and did what you could. Rou'er, you are much braver than your sister imagined."
She pulled her younger sister into her arms again, resting her chin on the top of her head, her voice gentle yet firm: "It's all over now. From now on, I will never let you suffer any more injustice. Leave Chu Xi's matter to His Majesty. Once this is over, I'll take you home."
go home.
These two words made Ye Lingrou's heart tremble. She raised her tearful eyes and looked out the window. It was already bright daylight, and sunlight streamed in through the window lattice, illuminating the magnificent furnishings in the bedchamber and the dust motes floating in the air.
With the fall of the Ling Dynasty, only her eldest sister remained as a relative. Where was her "home"?
She suddenly remembered Chu Xi's lonely whisper: "In the future, when the sky is high and the sea is wide, even without me, my Rou'er... should live a peaceful and smooth life."
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