The sun was setting, casting a blood-red hue on the pavilions and towers. The dark and red colors contrasted with each other, creating an indescribable sadness. Zhao Pei had just returned to Qiu Ming Garden. Zi Ye was waiting at the gate of the garden, craning her neck. When she saw Zhao Pei staggering in her sight, she hurried over to support her weak body: "Princess, are you okay?"
Zhao Pei's eyes were dull, as if she was stimulated by something, her dim eyes were full of tears, but she didn't say a word. Ziye was anxious, and checked Zhao Pei from head to toe. Her clothes were intact and her hair was neat, but she was holding something tightly in her hand, with a corner of it showing what looked like a letter.
Ziye helped Zhaopei into the house and fetched water for her to wash her face. While he was busy, he suddenly heard Zhaopei's faint voice: "Ziye, do you remember what day it is today?"
Ziye paused for a moment, then muffledly replied, "I know." After a moment, he added, "I have prepared the sky lantern."
》》》》》》》》》》》》》》
Qiu Ming Garden has a small backyard with a few green plants and nothing else. It was the first watch in the night, and the moon was above the willows. Zhao Pei walked into the yard alone, holding a lamp, and sat down at the stone table in the moonlight.
She was silent for a long time before slowly unfolding the paper that seemed to have been held in her hand. It was a yellowed letter: There is no end to my longing for you, and I sigh all night long. I only see your beautiful face, but I don't know that you still remember me.
The four lines of poetry were written in a flowing style, and the silent ink color faintly revealed the sadness in the heart of the person who wrote the poem. The sadness, as light as water and as thick as night, shot into Zhao Pei's heart from the letter. She kept thinking about what Xiao Gang said to her when she found this poem in his study during the day.
"I found this in my eldest brother's book when I entered the East Palace. I think it would be better to give it to you."
Zhao Pei looked at the last signature, which was the day Xiao Tong left. He said, there is no end to my longing for you.
The hatred and resentment, attachment and thoughts in her heart, entangled her tightly like silk. What is the meaning of being trapped in a cocoon? She wanted to give up countless times but she could not forget him. Even if she could not remember his face, his eyes, his voice, his smile. But that feeling, palpitations accompanied by heartache, a mixture of sweetness and bitterness, always filled her heart.
Zhao Pei tilted her head to avoid her tears splashing on the letter, so she read it again carefully, folded it carefully and hid it in her arms. From afar came the intermittent sound of a flute, cold and sad, like sobbing, gradually becoming clearer in this quiet night. Zhao Pei listened silently in her original place, listening to the lonely tune with unspeakable love and hate. She savored it carefully and it turned out to be "Song of the Yue People": What night is it tonight, rowing a boat in the middle of the stream. What day is it today, I get to be in the same boat with the prince. I am ashamed to be loved, but I don't blame the shame. My heart is almost annoyed but not ceased, and I met the prince. There are trees on the mountain and branches on the trees. My heart says you, but you don't know.
The ground was as bright as snow, and the sound of flutes shattered in my ears. Zhao Pei suddenly remembered that she was young at that time, with a girl's heart in her heart, and she pricked her fingers several times before completing the first and only needlework in her life. On it, there were the last two sentences embroidered: There are trees on the mountain and branches on the trees, I love you, do you know... In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed. Things are different, people are different, and everything is over.
I came to my senses and realized that it was too late. If I had known this would happen, I should have cut off my feelings. If that were the case, I would not have been willing to endure the torment of being immersed in memories. I would not have allowed myself to think of that person involuntarily no matter what happened. I would not have been struggling with waiting and missing, and banishing myself to memories for a long time.
Zhao Pei raised her head and looked around, wondering where the sound of the flute came from. After a while, she saw a man in light stone clothes slowly walking out of the darkness. Zhao Pei's eyes did not stay on his handsome face for too long, but stared closely at the jade flute in his hand.
She casually wiped away the remaining tears on her face and smiled faintly: "It turns out that Ji Jiang can also play the flute. He is really multi-talented."
Ji Jiang did not respond immediately, and there was a rare silence on his face.
Zhao Pei pointed to the stone bench beside her and said with a smile: "Are you still awake? Sit down."
He sat down beside her, put the jade flute in his sleeve and said apologetically: "Did I disturb the princess?" As he spoke, his eyes fell on the sky lantern at her feet and he was slightly stunned.
Zhao Pei smiled bitterly: "No, I couldn't sleep so I came out for a walk. What about you? Um... seems like you have something on your mind?"
Ji Jijiang's eyes were dim, and he seemed unwilling to speak. But after a long while, he replied in a deep voice, "Today is my brother's death anniversary... He was two years older than me. We were originally apprentices in the music room. When I was seven years old, my father-in-law said that I was born with good looks, so he specially cultivated me and taught me to learn piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry and songs. When I was nine years old, I was presented to Princess Yong'an." Ji Jijiang paused, and it seemed that he was very tormented when he thought of the past.
Zhao Pei listened quietly and didn't dare to interrupt. She knew that these must be things that Ji Jijiang didn't want to mention. He slowly narrated: "At that time, I played the piano for the princess, and my life was not bad. At that time, I also met you." At this point, Ji Jijiang grinned at Zhao Pei, and he said "I" and "you".
She was moved and felt very close to him: "Well, Ji Jiang was very mature at that time." At that time, it was the first wave Zhao Pei encountered when she first entered the palace. Xiao Yuyao and Xiao Hong... .
"After the princess left in a gloomy mood, I was sent back to the music room. There were many dignitaries... they... other people couldn't stand me and kept bullying me, saying that I was just a... ..." Ji Jiang spoke incoherently, but Zhao Pei knew it very well. Ji Jiang was handsome and attractive, so naturally some people were greedy for his beauty.
Ji Jijiang seemed to recall something. He leaned forward in pain and covered his face. "I feel like I'm very dirty. I'm just a puppet for others to vent their anger on. It was my brother who protected me time and time again. But in the end, I failed to protect him. I watched him being dragged away... They took him to the flower garden, which was where I should have gone... but he went instead of me. I never heard from him again. The only thing I heard was his bad news..." Ji Jiang's voice was choked with sobs when he said this, and he couldn't say another word.
Zhao Pei felt heartbroken after hearing this. She had heard someone mention the Flower Garden before. It was the most obscure place in the palace. In short, it was a brothel for the rich to enjoy and vent their desires. Those who were sent there were all young girls and boys. The lucky ones could get away with someone's favor, but most of them were tortured to death... .
She looked at Ji Jijiang who was immersed in pain. This was his true face. The frivolous and evil Ji Jijiang in daily life was just a cover for him to disguise himself and protect himself.
After a long while, Ji Jiang recovered his mood: "Ji Jiang told the princess these things because Ji Jiang believed in her. From the first time he met her, he knew that she was a trustworthy person. Ji Jiang was used to the hypocrisy and intrigues and tired of this deep palace, so he decided to follow the princess until death from now on." He solemnly promised: "No matter what the princess wants me to do, I will do it with all my strength."
Zhao Pei stared into his obsidian eyes. At this moment, she chose to believe him. Perhaps from the beginning, she believed that he was a trustworthy person, just like Ji Jiang. A smile bloomed on her lips: "I believe you, Ji Jiang."
Ji Jiang breathed a sigh of relief and suddenly laughed happily. The two looked at each other and gradually abandoned all their previous doubts. Zhao Pei didn't want to consider whether it was true or not. Now she had no choice. It would be better to take a gamble. At most, it would be a life.
That night, the two of them released sky lanterns and made wishes together. She wished Xiao Tong peace and prayed that she could escape from this cage. When she turned her head to look at Ji Jijiang, he still lowered his eyes and muttered something, very devoutly and seriously. I don't know what he wished for... (To be continued)