We are destined to meet.
Sima Yao looked at A Qiu with surprise again, remaining silent for a long time. Finally, she said softly, "She considers you a good friend, and that's absolutely true. You understand her."
It turns out that Shangguan Yuqi, who seems extremely cold, is not only a master of swordsmanship but also a person deeply infatuated with love.
Ah Qiu had quite a few old friends in the palace at this time, but when she was in trouble, only Shangguan Yuqi rushed to her aid despite the dangers. This shows that she was not only meticulous about those she cared about, but also extremely attentive to them, no matter how busy or troubled she was.
Ah Qiu continued, "Fortunately, Aunt Yao is still here in this world, so she still has a place to go home. Otherwise, she probably would have no desire to live in this world long ago."
Sima Yao trembled violently, staring at A Qiu in disbelief, and said in a trembling voice, "...You even noticed this?"
In the eyes of the world, Shangguan Yuqi was the most beautiful woman in the Southern Dynasty, the daughter of the most powerful family in Jiangdong. She possessed unparalleled swordsmanship, stunning beauty, and an ethereal grace that many could only admire. But the first time A Qiu saw her, he saw in her indifferent eyes a weariness of the mundane world.
She once stated frankly that the reason she entered the palace as a member of the Flying Phoenix Guard was solely to investigate the truth behind her aunt's death, and that she had no interest in anything else.
Only when a person is utterly devastated and their heart is dead will they lose interest in everything.
Her current achievements in swordsmanship are purely the result of natural training, not from her obsession or ambition.
But because Sima Yao was still there, she still had the will to live. So she once told A Qiu that she hoped to return to this place one day, focus on cultivation, and never leave the world again.
But if one day even Sima Yao is gone, it's hard to say what meaning cultivation will have for her.
A Qiu said, "I recall that every time Miss Shangguan used her sword, although it seemed simple and direct, in line with the principles of swordsmanship, there was always a sense of recklessness and self-destruction. Therefore, I am always worried that she may actually have a tendency to self-destruct."
Sima Yao sighed, "Yuqi lost her mother at a young age. The only people who treated her well were Yanxiu and... the former Grand Secretary. But both of the people who raised her ended up with such fierce personalities. You can imagine how deep and painful these traumas were for her. She insisted on cultivating both the Seven Stars and the Ice Bamboo at the same time because it was the only way to commemorate them and make her feel that they still existed in the world."
“They were not only her elders, but also her confidants. These two people who truly understood and loved her have passed away, and for Yuqi, life has lost its color and warmth.”
As A-Qi listened, she could completely empathize with Shangguan Yuqi's feelings.
She had once received the most beautiful and precious affection in the world, but that affection was ultimately lost. At least she and Gu Yi were not separated by death forever, but it had already caused her heart-wrenching pain.
Sima Yao stood up, looked at her intently, and said, "It's wonderful that Yuqi has made a friend like you. I've always hoped that other people could also live in her heart, so that she wouldn't feel so lonely."
He added, “Everything here is very simple. There are no servants, and you have to do your own eating and drinking. You are still recovering from your injuries, so I can help you with some things. Once you are better, you will have to do things yourself.”
Her last sentence was a joke, but it made Ah Qiu feel more at ease, because it meant that she was not treated as an outsider and that she could stay here in peace.
A Qiu immediately replied, "That's perfect. I can do anything and I'm not picky about food or drink. Back in the days when I was in the Snow Mountain Plain of Shenbingtang, I would drink snow water when I was thirsty, grab a handful of grass seeds to eat when I was hungry, and sometimes I would skin a weasel and eat its flesh. I've eaten everything."
Sima Yao frowned and said, "That's disgusting. I can't stand eating raw meat. You have to cook it before you bring it to me." She added, "I'm not being mean to you. I gave Yuqi the same orders when she was here."
The two looked at each other and smiled. The room was filled with a warm and cozy atmosphere, a feeling of warmth that A Qiu had long missed.
Sima Yao said, "You are not fully recovered yet, so you don't need to cook today. But you can go to the back mountain and cut a bundle of firewood for me. I will go to the stream to wash vegetables and rice."
As she had suggested, A Qiu got up and went to the back mountain. It turned out that the back mountain of the Shangguan family's forbidden area was also full of tall bamboos and clear streams. The grass was lush and green, and the mountain air was fresh. As A Qiu walked in the mountains, she felt that this place was not like a cemetery at all, but rather like a fairyland. No wonder Shangguan Yuqi only wanted to stay here forever.
In truth, she knew that Sima Yao had asked her to come to the back mountain to chop firewood not because she was really short of a bundle of firewood, but to find an excuse to get her out and about so that the pent-up frustration in her heart could dissipate.
This was the same intention behind Gongyi Xiu's witty banter and sarcastic remarks after he rescued her from the Xingfeng Hall prison: to help her shift her focus and resolve her inner conflicts.
At this moment, whether she thought of Gongyi Xiu or Sima Yao, she felt only endless gratitude.
They were all people willing to take responsibility for her, and what did she do to deserve that?
Moreover, Shangguan Yuqi's unwavering friendship supported and protected her throughout.
These warm feelings arose in her heart, and coupled with the bright sunshine on the mountaintop, even the pain in her heart dissipated somewhat.
Before long, she had chopped the firewood and carried it back to Bixi Thatched Cottage—the dwelling place of the Shangguan family's tomb keepers. There she found that Sima Yao had already cooked rice and was preparing dishes in the kitchen. She knew that her guess was correct: Sima Yao did not expect her to wait for her to come back from chopping firewood to cook, but was just looking for an excuse to let her go out for a walk.
When Sima Yao saw her carrying a large bundle of firewood back, he smiled and said, "You're quite efficient and quick at your work."
He then laughed and said, "To be able to send Jing Ke, the top assassin on the Lanling Astounding Assassin List and the master of the Divine Weapon Hall, to chop wood for me, I am truly the most honored person in the world. I wonder if the wood chopped by the master of the Divine Weapon Hall will make the cooking even more delicious."
A Qiu laughed and said, "You can even command the Southern Dynasty Sword Immortal and the Eastern Palace Flying Phoenix Chief, so what can't you command, a mere wanderer of the martial world? Besides, it is my blessing to be able to taste the cooking of Princess Langya!"
This was the second time A Qiu had mentioned the name "Princess Langya." She regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth, but Sima Yao was nonchalant and just laughed, "What you tasted was not Princess Langya's cooking, because Princess Langya could not cook. What you tasted was the direct descendant of the Shangguan family's tomb keeper."
A Qiu immediately thought of Sima Yao, whom they now called "Aunt Yao." She had once been a princess of high birth, a woman of noble birth. During the late Huan Dynasty, under the extravagant and domineering atmosphere fostered by Emperor Sima Yan, members of the royal family were all arrogant and haughty. The Langya Prince's branch, in particular, had always been regarded by the emperor as an elder brother and relied upon most heavily. As the Princess of Langya, Sima Yao would certainly not cook herself.
But now, amidst the rising smoke, she deftly moved around under the stove, her hands and feet moving swiftly as if by magic, conjuring up several mountain dishes such as fried fish, stir-fried wild mushrooms and greens, and dried rabbit meat. As the fish pieces touched the chopsticks, one could feel that each piece was distinct, fresh and sweet, fatty but not greasy; the rabbit meat was tender and chewy; and the wild vegetables and fruits were sweet and delicious, carrying the unique flavor of the mountain stove, as if they also contained the spirit of Bixi Thatched Cottage itself.
Within a single chopstick, one could discern the rise and fall of two dynasties, and the prominent and secret teachings of two great families. Reflecting on this, she couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
As she savored the delicious food she had never tasted before, she asked, "Aunt Yao, why did you come to the Shangguan family to become a tomb keeper?"
Sima Yao was just about to give her a piece of fish, the most intact and succulent piece from the fish's belly. Upon hearing her question, the bamboo chopsticks she had raised suddenly stopped in mid-air.
Seeing her expression, A-Qiu immediately realized that she had asked a bad question.
She still vaguely remembered hearing about Sima Yao's entry into the Shangguan family's cemetery while she was in the court. It seemed that Sima Yao had nominally married a senior member of the Shangguan family, but in reality, not only had the marriage never taken place, the two had never even met. As soon as Sima Yao entered the Shangguan family's gate in a bridal sedan chair, she got out of the sedan chair, lifted her veil, and came directly to this forbidden area.
For decades afterward, she remained secluded at home, as if the Princess of Langya had ceased to exist.
Such an event could not have been accomplished by an ordinary woman. It must have been incredibly dramatic. It's understandable that Sima Yao is unwilling to recount it.
A Qiu hurriedly tried to cover up, saying, "Aunt Yao's cooking skills are truly unmatched, even by the Imperial Kitchen. I am fortunate to have entered the Shangguan Forbidden Area. Although I dare not covet the direct lineage of the Shangguan family's swordsmanship, I must learn Aunt Yao's cooking skills."
Sima Yao held up her chopsticks, her expression shifting unpredictably as she drifted into memories from long ago.
Ah Qiu's words brought me back to reality.
She gently placed the piece of fish into A Qiu's bowl and said very slowly, "If you hadn't asked, I would have almost forgotten how I got in here."
Then, with an expression as if waking from a dream, he said, "You know, I have met very few people in the past few decades. This time, when I went out to pick you up, it was the first time I had left the forbidden area; and you are also the first outsider to come to this forbidden area."
He sighed again, "I've never told anyone about these things, not even Yuqi. But seeing you, I really want to tell you. I suppose we're destined to meet."
A Qiu scratched his head sheepishly and said, "Miss Shangguan wields the sword to govern the world, commanding the winds and clouds, coming and going freely. She is certainly not a vulgar person like me who likes to ask all sorts of questions and pry into other people's affairs."
Sima Yao smiled and said, "I imagine that you, being an assassin, would never casually ask questions of just anyone."
A Qiu immediately realized that this was indeed the case. The Lanling Hall's teachings stipulated that disciples must clearly distinguish between right and wrong. Even when facing Gu Yi, she had never taken the initiative to ask about his background or why he entered the court and the palace.
The reason she asked Sima Yao so naturally was because of the warm and homely feeling that Sima Yao gave her, like talking to an elder in the family. It was as if no matter what she asked, she would not be scolded, but would only receive a patient and gentle response.
Therefore, whether consciously or unconsciously, she would act like a child, asking questions of heaven and earth without any restraint.
What she really wanted wasn't Sima Yao's answer, but rather the warm connection that this casual chat brought her—the feeling of interacting with an older female figure.
She had felt this sense of déjà vu before, when it was with Shangguan Yuqi.
Sima Yao was lost in her memories and said very slowly, "You and Yuqi both call me Aunt Yao, but in terms of seniority in the Shangguan family, you should probably call me Great-Aunt."
A Qiu was taken aback. She couldn't believe that such a beautiful woman, who looked no older than Consort Chen and appeared to be no older than her, would be addressed as such an old-fashioned "Great-Auntie." She asked incredulously, "Aunt Yao, your seniority in the Shangguan family is actually so high?"
Sima Yao said calmly, "As a member of the imperial family, I am entering the Shangguan family as a concubine, so my seniority must naturally be high. Otherwise, wouldn't I be looked down upon and bullied?"
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